On June 19, 2025, numerous Apple users encountered significant disruptions with Apple Intelligence, the company’s suite of artificial intelligence features. The issues manifested as continuous update loops, the reappearance of the older Siri interface, and the unavailability of on-device tools. These problems began early Thursday and persisted throughout the day, affecting a wide range of devices and regions.
User Reports and Observations
Users reported that Apple Intelligence seemed to be disabled, despite its primary operation being local to the device. For instance, attempts to use features like Workout Buddy on watchOS 26 were unsuccessful, with devices behaving as if the feature was nonexistent. Similar issues were noted across various Apple devices, including iPhones, iPads, Macs, and Apple Vision Pros.
Community Feedback
The widespread nature of the outage was confirmed through multiple user reports on platforms such as Reddit and the Apple Developer forums. These discussions highlighted the random and pervasive nature of the disruptions, indicating a systemic issue rather than isolated incidents.
Potential Causes
Despite Apple Intelligence’s on-device operation, it appears that over-the-air (OTA) updates play a crucial role in its functionality. Apple executives have previously mentioned that Apple Intelligence models receive frequent updates through OTA mechanisms. It is plausible that a flawed backend update from Apple triggered the outage, causing devices to enter a perpetual update loop and rendering certain features inaccessible.
Apple’s Response
As of the time of reporting, Apple’s system status page did not indicate any issues related to Apple Intelligence. However, AppleInsider reached out to the company, and Apple acknowledged the problem, stating that they are investigating the matter. By approximately 10 p.m. Eastern Time, Apple Intelligence began to function normally again on affected devices, suggesting that Apple had implemented a fix.
Broader Context
This incident adds to a series of challenges Apple has faced with its AI initiatives. The company has encountered delays in updating Siri with advanced large language models, leading to investor concerns over its AI strategy. Additionally, Apple’s AI rollout in China has been delayed due to regulatory hurdles, further complicating its position in the competitive AI landscape.
Conclusion
The recent outage underscores the complexities involved in maintaining and updating AI systems, even those designed to operate primarily on-device. As Apple continues to refine its AI offerings, ensuring the reliability and stability of these features will be paramount to maintaining user trust and competitiveness in the rapidly evolving AI market.
