Apple's Siri boss admits to ‘ugly' and embarassing AI delays during all-hands meeting: report

Core Viewpoint - Apple is facing significant delays in the rollout of its AI-equipped Siri digital assistant, which has raised concerns about its competitiveness in the AI space compared to other Big Tech companies [1][4]. Group 1: Delays and Internal Reactions - Robby Walker, head of the Siri team, described the delays as "ugly" due to prior public promotion, including TV commercials [2]. - Walker acknowledged mixed feelings among employees, with some feeling relieved and others embarrassed about the situation [3]. - The overhaul of Siri, initially targeted for release in spring, is now not expected until next year at the earliest [4]. Group 2: Performance Issues - Siri's AI features are reportedly generating incorrect responses up to one-third of the time [4]. - The issues began shortly after the introduction of "Apple Intelligence," which faced criticism for producing fake news alerts [10]. Group 3: Company Strategy and Market Impact - AI features are critical to Apple's overall strategy, especially with upcoming iPhone iterations expected to rely heavily on AI [10]. - Apple shares have declined nearly 13% since the start of the year, reflecting broader market turmoil affecting other Big Tech stocks [7][11]. - CEO Tim Cook has previously referred to AI as a "game changer" for the company, with significant stock price increases following announcements related to AI initiatives [8][9].