Apple is reportedly aiming to release an AI-powered upgrade of its Siri voice assistant in spring 2026, following delays and technical challenges that pushed back the original release date of fall 2024.
Delayed Development
The new Siri features are expected to be previewed in fall 2025 before their release, according to Bloomberg, citing unnamed sources. Apple has not announced an exact release date but confirmed that the upgrades are planned for the “coming year.”
Technical Challenges
Apple originally announced the features it planned to add to Siri in June 2024. However, technical challenges led to Siri being rebuilt entirely, and management responsibilities were shifted within Apple. One of the new heads of engineering for Siri, Craig Federighi, said at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference that “this work needed more time to reach our high quality bar.”
AI Capabilities
The AI-powered upgrade aims to provide more sophisticated responses to spoken prompts using cutting-edge large language models (LLMs). Apple’s approach to innovation in generative AI has been more restrained compared to rivals like Amazon, Google, and Microsoft, which are aggressively embracing LLMs and enterprise-scale AI solutions.
Apple CEO Tim Cook stated during the company’s quarterly earnings call that Apple needs “more time” to upgrade Siri’s AI capabilities. When pressed for reasons behind the delay, Cook said it was “just taking a bit longer than we thought.”
The upgrade reflects Apple’s ongoing efforts to enhance Siri with advanced AI technology, addressing previous limitations and improving user experience.
