Siri's Bumpy Road: Apple's AI Assistant Faces More Delays

Apple's highly anticipated upgrade to Siri is facing fresh hurdles. The tech giant planned to roll out a smarter, AI-powered version of its voice assistant with iOS 26. 4. However, internal testers have raised flags about its performance. This isn't the first time Siri has hit snags. Apple initially promised big improvements back in 2024. Features like understanding personal context and acting within apps were supposed to make Siri a true digital helper. But those plans fell through, leading to a year-long delay. Now, with iOS 26. 4, Apple is reportedly testing two different approaches for Siri. One uses Apple's own AI tech, while the other relies on Google's Gemini running on Apple's private cloud. Rumors suggest the current version might be using Apple's own models.If the new Siri doesn't impress, there could be big changes at Apple. Some predict senior AI staff might leave if the update flops. This comes as no surprise, given Apple's struggles in the AI race. Apple has been playing catch-up in AI for years. While rivals like Google and Microsoft made waves, Apple took a slower approach. The company finally jumped into AI with features like Clean Up in Photos and ChatGPT in Siri. But its flagship AI project, Siri, remains a work in progress. With six months until the public release, there's still time for Apple to turn things around. But given the history of delays and setbacks, it's anyone's guess whether Siri will finally deliver on its promise.