Apple Skips AI Siri at WWDC 25 – Delayed Until 2026
Major AI Absence at Apple’s Flagship Event
Apple made waves at WWDC 2025 with announcements about its new Liquid Glass UI and major software updates – but one expected revelation was conspicuously absent. The tech giant pushed back its AI-powered Siri overhaul, originally previewed at WWDC 2024, delaying it until at least 2026.
Behind the Siri Delay
During the keynote, Apple’s Craig Federighi only briefly addressed the Siri delay: “This work needed more time to reach our high-quality bar.” This vague statement implies users won’t see the enhanced virtual assistant before 2026 – a notable lag in today’s fast-moving AI landscape.
The upgraded Siri was meant to revolutionize personal assistance by:
- Understanding complex personal contexts (relationships, routines, communications)
- Executing cross-app actions seamlessly
- Delivering more natural conversational experiences
Development Challenges Surface
Internal reports reveal significant QA issues with the AI Siri prototype. While functional, it reportedly only performed correctly two-thirds of the time – far below Apple’s notoriously high standards. These reliability problems forced the delay despite initial progress.
Leadership Shakeup Signals Strategic Shift
Apple’s AI ambitions suffered another blow earlier this year when key executives were reassigned:
- John Giannandrea (previously leading Siri development) was pulled from the project
- Mike Rockwell (Vision Pro lead) took over Siri development
This leadership change followed Apple’s March 2025 announcement officially delaying the Siri overhaul while still maintaining their commitment to delivering advanced AI capabilities.
Coping Mechanisms and Alternative AI Updates
To bridge the AI gap versus competitors like OpenAI and Google, Apple has deployed several stopgap measures:
- Integrated ChatGPT as a fallback when Siri can’t answer queries
- Rolled out other AI features including:
- Visual Intelligence enhancements
- Live translation across Messages and FaceTime
- AI-powered coding assistance in Xcode
- Smart automation in Shortcuts app
WWDC 2025 did showcase important AI developments like Image Playground‘s new ChatGPT integration and an AI Workout Buddy for Apple Watch. However, the absence of next-gen Siri underscores Apple’s challenges in delivering truly conversational AI comparable to its rivals.
The extended timeline suggests Apple recognizes the importance of getting this foundational AI feature right, even at the cost of being late to market. Whether this calculation proves wise may determine Apple’s position in the intensifying AI assistant wars.