Apple’s ambitious plan to reinvent Siri with advanced AI is hitting roadblocks. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the voice assistant’s “LLM Siri” overhaul (promised to bring ChatGPT-like smarts) may not arrive until 2027 with iOS 20. Here is why Apple is scrambling.
Why the Delay?
Apple initially aimed to merge Siri’s old system with a new AI-powered model called “LLM Siri” for iOS 18. That missed the deadline. Now, even the iOS 19 launch in June 2025 may lack major upgrades, pushing the revamp to iOS 20. Gurman views this period as Apple’s critical test to establish itself as a prominent force in artificial intelligence.
According to Apple’s internal data usage statistics, Apple Intelligence functions Genmoji and Image Playground experience minimal utilization. Users have voiced concerns about AI summary tools because they generate incorrect information which stated that a healthcare executive died from suicide. Apple paused news summaries after the backlash.
What’s Coming in iOS 18.5
A minor Siri upgrade in iOS 18.5 will let the assistant access personal data for tailored responses and perform basic app actions. But this falls short of the conversational, third-party-integrated Siri Apple promised.
Competitors Are Pulling Ahead
Amazon just launched Alexa+, a voice assistant with fluid conversations and app control, exactly what Apple wants for Siri. Meanwhile, Google and OpenAI already offer lock-screen AI tools on iPhones. Without a breakthrough, Apple risks losing its edge.
The “AI Crisis” Inside Apple
Gurman reports Apple is battling technical hurdles. Siri currently uses two systems: the old one for simple tasks and a newer one for Apple Intelligence queries. Merging them into “LLM Siri” requires flawless AI understanding of context, accents, and user intent—a challenge Apple has yet to solve.
What This Means for Users
For now, Apple Intelligence remains a collection of niche tools:
- Writing suggestions
- Voicemail transcripts
- Basic image generation
- Notification summaries (when accurate)
Without a smarter Siri, these features feel incomplete. As rivals advance, Apple must decide whether to speed up development or risk falling further behind.
End Note
The difficulties Apple faces with AI delays show how challenging it is to completely reconstruct Siri through new building methods. The significant assessment of this iOS update will occur in 2027. iPhone users will continue to use third-party AI tools including Gemini and ChatGPT as a substitute for the advanced assistance that Apple has yet to provide.
