Introduction: A Silent Storm Brews at Apple
Apple, the world’s most valuable company and a benchmark of innovation, is facing an uncharacteristic crisis — it’s falling behind in the AI race. With competitors like Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI racing ahead in generative AI, Apple finds itself scrambling to catch up. Central to this unfolding story is John Giannandrea, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Machine Learning and AI Strategy, a former Google AI chief brought in to lead the company’s AI transformation.
Apple’s AI Woes and the Quiet Crisis of Siri: A Deep Dive into Why Apple Trails in the AI Race
Yet, despite Giannandrea’s presence, Apple’s efforts — especially with Siri — have lagged far behind industry expectations. And with WWDC 2025 just weeks away, mounting reports suggest Apple may skip any significant AI-related announcements, particularly for Siri. So, what went wrong?
Who is John Giannandrea?
John Giannandrea joined Apple in 2018 after an impressive stint at Google, where he led efforts in search and AI. Seen as a major talent acquisition, his appointment was Apple’s public declaration that it would take AI seriously. Giannandrea was tasked with revitalizing Siri, building internal machine learning tools, and setting a strategic roadmap for Apple’s AI future.
However, even with his leadership, internal culture, strategic conservatism, and prioritization of privacy over experimentation have deeply hampered progress.
The Siri Struggles: A Decade of Missed Opportunities
Introduced in 2011, Siri was the first mainstream virtual assistant — years before Alexa or Google Assistant. But while rivals evolved rapidly, Siri stagnated.
Recent reports from Bloomberg, TechCrunch, and MacRumors point to a perfect storm:
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Legacy infrastructure: Siri’s architecture was not designed to integrate large language models (LLMs) or generative AI. Apple is reportedly rebuilding it from scratch.
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Privacy-first ideology: Apple’s firm stance on user privacy means it avoids cloud-based data analysis — a cornerstone for training modern AI models.
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Cultural resistance: Former Siri team members revealed a reluctance from top executives to move fast, especially compared to Silicon Valley’s agile competitors.
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Fragmented teams: There were reportedly turf wars between Siri teams and the Apple Intelligence initiative — creating internal inefficiencies and stalling AI rollout.
The Apple Intelligence Project: A False Start
In 2024, Apple began teasing its “Apple Intelligence” initiative — a rumored integration of AI features across iOS and macOS. The project aimed to:
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Implement on-device LLMs for privacy.
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Boost Siri with real-time generative capabilities.
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Add AI to native apps like Mail, Safari, and Messages.
However, the debut was quietly delayed, and what was launched in beta was underwhelming. Feedback from internal testing reportedly described it as “barely functional,” leading to a full pivot.
Multiple sources, including Analytics India Magazine and Tech Wire Asia, confirm that Apple is now rebuilding its AI models with a stronger LLM at the core — essentially starting over.
Why WWDC 2025 Might Skip Siri
With this background, the reasons for a muted Siri presence at WWDC 2025 become clear:
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Incomplete LLM integration: Apple’s internal chatbot, sometimes dubbed “SiriGPT,” isn’t ready.
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Reputation management: Apple is wary of overpromising after the botched Apple Intelligence rollout.
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New strategy brewing: Giannandrea and his team are reportedly focusing on core AI infrastructure, with announcements pushed to late 2025 or 2026.
Instead, WWDC is expected to emphasize iOS 19, refinements to Vision Pro, and possibly AI-infused developer tools — but nothing splashy in the Siri or chatbot domain.
Inside the Apple vs. OpenAI/Google Struggle
While Apple hesitates, its competitors sprint:
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OpenAI and Microsoft have dominated with ChatGPT integrations in Office and Windows.
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Google’s Gemini now powers Gmail, Android, and Search experiences.
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Samsung’s Galaxy AI, built on Google’s LLMs, is now a major differentiator for Android.
According to TechCrunch, even Apple’s former Siri head wanted Apple to use Google’s Gemini over OpenAI’s ChatGPT — a stunning indication of internal confusion. Apple is now caught in a dilemma: build in-house slowly, or rely on third-party models, which compromises privacy.
What’s Next? The Road Ahead for Apple and AI
Despite the setbacks, Apple isn’t giving up:
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A new internal LLM is being tested, reportedly optimized for on-device efficiency.
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Siri is being redesigned from scratch — both in interface and underlying architecture.
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Apple is quietly recruiting top AI talent from Meta, Anthropic, and Google DeepMind.
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Expect AI enhancements for specific apps (Photos, Health, Mail) to roll out first before Siri gets a full reboot.
There are also rumors that Apple may rebrand Siri entirely, distancing the assistant from past failures.
Conclusion: The Price of Playing It Safe
Apple’s AI journey has been marked by caution, delay, and internal friction — a stark contrast to the bold moves made by its rivals. While Giannandrea brought technical credibility, it’s clear that organizational inertia and a culture resistant to risk have kept Siri grounded.
As WWDC 2025 approaches, Apple finds itself not leading the AI race, but playing catch-up. If there’s a silver lining, it’s that the company is finally admitting the scale of the problem and is taking radical steps — even if that means admitting past mistakes and rebuilding from zero.
One thing is certain: the next 12 months will be pivotal for John Giannandrea and Apple’s entire AI strategy. The world is watching — and waiting for Siri to finally grow up.
