Siri’s AI Struggles
In 2011, Apple wowed the world with Siri, a voice assistant billed as the future of how we interact with technology. It was marketed as a revolutionary feature—a digital concierge baked right into your iPhone, ready to answer questions, send texts, set alarms, and more with just your voice.
But nearly 15 years later, Siri has become something of a tech punchline. While other companies have surged ahead with advanced generative AI tools, Siri still struggles with basic commands like setting reminders properly or understanding context in follow-up questions. So, in an era dominated by ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Microsoft Copilot, many are asking: Why is Siri still so bad?
A Revolutionary Idea That Stalled
When Siri debuted, it truly was ahead of its time. But while Apple’s rivals aggressively invested in natural language processing and large language models (LLMs), Siri remained relatively stagnant. Over the years, it gained minor upgrades and tighter integration with Apple’s ecosystem, but it never evolved into a truly conversational or adaptive assistant.
A major issue lies in its architecture. Siri was built on a system that required manual updates for new capabilities, rather than a flexible model that could learn and adapt dynamically. As a result, users often encounter rigid, frustrating interactions—far from the fluid conversations that tools like ChatGPT now enable.
Apple Intelligence: A Step Forward, But Still Behind
At Apple’s 2024 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), the company introduced Apple Intelligence, a suite of AI features meant to modernize the Siri experience. Built on a combination of on-device processing and a private cloud, Apple promised features like smart summaries, better email management, and a more intelligent Siri that could understand more complex tasks.
But the rollout wasn’t smooth. Some features were delayed, others underwhelmed in real-world use. Critics noted that Apple Intelligence, while thoughtful and privacy-centric, lacked the versatility and depth seen in competitors’ offerings. And because Apple’s LLM efforts remain largely under wraps, it’s still unclear how its models stack up against those from OpenAI or Anthropic.
Privacy: Apple’s Blessing and Curse
One of Apple’s core values—privacy—has shaped its AI strategy. Unlike Google or Microsoft, which rely heavily on cloud-based processing, Apple insists that much of its AI computation happen on-device. This has huge benefits for user privacy and data security, but it also limits the complexity and scale of the models that can run on an iPhone or iPad.
This approach has led Apple to prioritize safe, private, and practical AI rather than flashier capabilities. But in a consumer tech market now flooded with generative tools capable of composing essays, writing code, and offering near-human conversation, Apple’s conservative pace has made Siri feel more outdated than ever.
Can Apple Catch Up?
As WWDC 2025 approaches, Apple is expected to reveal new AI features, possibly integrating OpenAI’s technology to supercharge Siri and iOS functionality. Reports suggest a partnership with OpenAI will bring a version of ChatGPT to Apple devices, signaling a potential shift in strategy. Rather than build everything in-house, Apple may now be looking to augment its offerings with best-in-class third-party AI.
Experts believe Apple still has a shot. Its hardware is powerful, its ecosystem is vast, and users are loyal. If Apple can successfully blend generative AI into its suite of apps and services—while maintaining its privacy-first ethos—it could leapfrog competitors in the consumer space. But that window is closing quickly.
Final Thoughts
Siri’s shortcomings aren’t just a product of neglect—they reflect the philosophical and technical tradeoffs Apple has made. While the rest of the tech industry ran headlong into the AI arms race, Apple treaded cautiously. That has preserved user trust, but cost it in innovation.
Now, as AI redefines how we live and work, Siri can no longer afford to be a laggard. WWDC 2025 may mark a critical moment—not just for Apple’s AI ambitions, but for the future of one of tech’s earliest and most iconic virtual assistants.
