According to Bloomberg, a senior executive responsible for Siri informed employees that delays in key features were "ugly and embarrassing," adding that prematurely publicizing functions before they were ready compounded the issue.

Robby Walker, Apple’s Senior Director of Siri, made this candid statement during a full-team meeting at the Siri department, acknowledging challenging times ahead. Sources revealed that Walker also expressed uncertainty regarding when these improved features will be released.
This discussion underscores the severity of Apple's challenges in AI and its efforts to catch up with competitors; the development of Siri has lagged behind other systems, symbolizing broader difficulties within this field for Apple.

Last week, Apple publicly acknowledged significant delays for key functions, further exacerbating existing issues. During a full meeting, Walker stated that as features are delayed, team members may experience anger, disappointment, exhaustion, and embarrassment. Originally slated for release earlier this spring, the earliest anticipated launch is now next year.
Despite these setbacks, Walker praised his team’s development of “incredible” functions and promised to deliver industry-leading virtual assistants. Apple's stock price fell by 16% as of Thursday close amid a broader decline in tech stocks but rebounded slightly on Friday before narrowing its gains later.

Just last month, Bloomberg reported that Apple encountered bugs and engineering issues while developing AI tools for Siri. The company initially postponed the release from April to May hoping these features would be included in iOS 18.5; however, they have now been pushed back again with a target of no earlier than next year's iOS 19 version.

Apple’s Intelligence feature was first unveiled at last year’s WWDC and is crucial for making Siri a more efficient personal assistant by allowing access to user data and precise app control among other things.
However, many media outlets believe that the features showcased during Apple’s WWDC were merely simulated video clips as actual functionality proved limited. Walker noted in his meeting that this public demonstration made the delay particularly "ugly."

Walker further stated that marketing efforts promoting unready AI capabilities worsened matters; despite technical immaturity, these features appeared in promotional activities and TV ads last year.
Apple positioned these functions as a key selling point for iPhone 16 models due to limited other changes, aligning with Apple’s broader AI strategy.

Walker expressed doubt about meeting iOS 19 release timelines, emphasizing that while aiming for this version doesn't guarantee timely delivery; scheduling will depend on specific circumstances and resource allocation decisions across multiple high-priority projects.
Currently, there are no immediate plans to fire senior executives but management adjustments are under consideration. Sources indicate discussions around more direct reporting of top managers to AI head John Giannandrea in an effort to improve team performance.

Walker revealed that the delay primarily stems from quality issues; current test results show accuracy rates between 67% and 80%, indicating roughly one out of every three uses fails properly, necessitating further improvements. Recently, Apple’s software chief Craig Federighi expressed concerns over AI features to other executives, contributing to this decision.

Despite the challenges, Walker encouraged team members at the meeting by highlighting their innovative work and showcasing Siri's latest test results including accurate license plate number searches, specific photo location identification, and precise app control via voice commands.
Walker acknowledged that some employees might feel "relieved" about delays due to concerns during testing and emphasized the need for rest before tackling upcoming challenges.

(Lead image source: Apple)