Apple Skips AI Siri at WWDC 25
Notable Absence at Apple’s Developer Conference
Apple made waves at WWDC 25 with major announcements about Liquid Glass design language and system updates – but one anticipated reveal was conspicuously missing. The tech giant offered little information about its promised AI-powered Siri, first announced with much fanfare at WWDC 24.
During the keynote, Apple SVP Craig Federighi briefly addressed the delay: “We’re continuing our work to deliver features that make Siri more personal. This work needed more time to reach our high-quality bar.” The vague “coming year” timeline suggests users won’t see the upgraded assistant until 2026 at earliest.
What Went Wrong With Siri’s AI Upgrade?
Performance Challenges
Sources indicate Apple’s personalized Siri faced significant technical hurdles. Bloomberg reported the AI only functioned correctly two-thirds of the time during testing, falling short of Apple’s reliability standards. The assistant’s ability to understand personal context – relationships, routines, and communications – proved particularly challenging to implement consistently.
Executive Shakeup
Apple reshuffled its AI leadership team in March after the setback. The company moved Vision Pro lead Mike Rockwell to oversee Siri development, replacing John Giannandrea who remained head of AI strategy. This leadership change signaled Apple’s urgency to address what one executive reportedly called “ugly and embarrassing” delays.
Apple’s AI Strategy Moving Forward
While Siri remains in development limbo, Apple continues expanding other artificial intelligence initiatives:
- Enhanced Image Playground with ChatGPT integration
- AI-powered Shortcuts automation tool
- Developer access to on-device AI models
- Advanced live translation features
- Visual Intelligence upgrades and Genmoji improvements
The company’s partnership with OpenAI helps bridge the gap, allowing Siri to redirect complex queries to ChatGPT when needed. However, the delayed Siri overhaul leaves Apple playing catch-up to competitors like Google, OpenAI, and Anthropic in the virtual assistant race.
Looking Ahead to AI in Apple’s Ecosystem
Despite the setback, Apple remains committed to transforming Siri into a truly intelligent assistant. The coming year will prove crucial as the company works to deliver the contextual understanding and app integration capabilities promised at WWDC 24. For now, users will need to wait while Apple perfects what could still become its most significant AI breakthrough.