How Apple’s AI Siri Promises Fell Short: Unpacking Employee Discontent and Future Implications

Last week, Apple shocked everyone by postponing its plans to upgrade Siri with artificial intelligence. This news not only hurt their stock price but also dampened the spirits of the Siri development team. According to a report from Bloomberg, morale took a hit as the team grappled with disappointment and frustration.

During a recent all-hands meeting, Robby Walker, a senior director in the Siri division, addressed the issues head-on. He acknowledged that team members were likely feeling angry and embarrassed about the situation. “You might have co-workers or friends or family asking you what happened, and it doesn’t feel good,” he said, reflecting the team’s collective disappointment.

This setback comes amidst Apple’s marketing push, which had confidently showcased new Siri features expected to launch by June. These upgrades were a key part of Apple’s pitch for the iPhone 16, which didn’t wow consumers with many other enhancements. But the anticipated features are now on indefinite hold, leaving many unsure of when they’ll actually arrive. Walker indicated that while the company hopes to release these new capabilities alongside iOS 19 this summer, there’s no guarantee.

Currently, the new features are functioning well only about 66% to 80% of the time. This doesn’t sound great, especially for a technology that many users expect to work seamlessly.

Interestingly, a survey by SellCell found that many iPhone users aren’t too upset about the delay. About 73% of respondents felt that Apple’s new AI features add little or no value to their devices. This suggests that while AI is a hot topic, many consumers aren’t particularly eager for it in voice assistants just yet.

Voice assistants like Siri seem like a perfect match for AI, so it’s curious why progress has been slow. Apple isn’t the only company facing these challenges; just last month, Amazon announced AI updates for its Alexa assistant. However, those features will only be available initially on a select group of devices.

This hesitance to fully roll out AI reveals a broader truth: despite the excitement surrounding AI, companies are still figuring out how to effectively integrate it into everyday products in a way that resonates with users. It’s clear that while the industry is buzzing about AI, the real challenge lies in delivering meaningful advancements that consumers can appreciate.

For more on AI and consumer technology trends, check out this Bloomberg article.

Source link

Apple,Artificial intelligence,Siri,Virtual assistant