Apple recently withdrew a promotional ad showcasing Siri’s supposed advanced capabilities after it became clear that these features were not yet available. The ad, featuring actress Bella Ramsey, highlighted a futuristic Siri capable of understanding personal context and retrieving relevant information seamlessly—something Apple users have long hoped for but have yet to experience.
Why Did Apple Pull the Ad?
The commercial’s timing was problematic. Apple has been working on integrating more AI-powered intelligence into Siri, but reports indicate that these updates are facing delays. The features, expected to be part of Apple’s broader AI initiative rumored to be called “Apple Intelligence,” were originally set to launch with iOS 18 and the iPhone 16 series. However, technical hurdles have pushed the release further back, likely into 2025.
This move suggests Apple is being more cautious about over-promising advancements that aren’t fully ready. The company has been heavily criticized in the past for Siri’s shortcomings, especially when compared to AI-driven assistants like ChatGPT and Google Assistant, which have seen rapid improvements.
The Challenge: Making Siri Truly Smart
Despite Apple’s reputation for polished and powerful technology, Siri has remained largely stagnant in intelligence and functionality over the years. While competitors integrate cutting-edge generative AI, Siri’s responses often feel outdated and limited. Apple’s AI team has reportedly been working on enhancing the assistant’s ability to understand natural language better, handle complex tasks, and personalize interactions based on user preferences.
However, integrating these AI models in a way that meets Apple’s high privacy standards has been a major challenge. Unlike other companies that rely on cloud-based AI processing, Apple prioritizes on-device intelligence, meaning AI has to run efficiently without sending massive amounts of user data to external servers. This approach, while privacy-focused, slows down the development of AI-powered assistants like Siri.
When Will Siri Actually Get Smarter?
Apple is expected to unveil major AI announcements at WWDC 2025, where it may finally showcase a significantly upgraded Siri. Some analysts believe Apple is taking a more strategic approach, waiting until its AI features are truly polished before rolling them out. If the improvements are substantial, they could redefine how iPhone users interact with their devices and put Apple back in the AI race.
For now, Siri remains largely the same, and Apple’s decision to pull the ad is a reminder that true AI breakthroughs take time—especially when user privacy is at the core of development.
