Apple employees are reportedly frustrated as delays in upgrading Siri with AI features have left the company struggling to keep up with competitors. Internal tensions boiled over during a recent all-hands meeting, where Siri team leader Robby Walker called the situation “ugly” and embarrassing.
The problem? Siri’s much-hyped AI features aren’t working as expected. Reports suggest that one-third of responses are incorrect, forcing Apple to delay the launch from this spring to sometime next year. This comes after Apple heavily promoted the improvements, including in TV ads, raising expectations both inside and outside the company.
Employees working on Siri and AI development are reportedly burnt out, facing long hours and slow progress. Many are worried Apple is falling behind in the AI race, especially as companies like OpenAI, Google, and even Samsung push forward with advanced AI assistants. Apple announced its AI initiative, Apple Intelligence, last year, but key features that integrate AI with user data securely are still missing.
The setbacks are raising concerns about Apple’s future in AI and frustrating employees who feel the company’s delays are making it harder to compete. If Apple can’t turn things around, staff morale may take an even bigger hit.
