Apple's AI Mess
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When you're worth $3 trillion and still can't make Siri understand basic requests, you might have a problem
I watched Apple's big developer conference this week expecting... well, not much. And somehow, they still managed to disappoint me.
Here's a company worth more than most countries' entire economies, and they spent an hour talking about rounded corners.
Seriously. They called it "Liquid Glass" – which sounds fancy until you realize it's just making windows look a bit more curved.
Remember when Apple promised Siri would get smarter with AI? That was last year. This year, they basically said "hang tight, we'll figure it out by 2026."
Google Assistant got its AI makeover two years ago.
And now Apple's basically admitting they need OpenAI's help to make their own assistant functional.
Craig Federighi (Apple's software guy) stood on stage and said they'll share more about Siri "in the coming year." Translation: "We have no idea what we're doing, but we're working on it, promise."
Here's where it gets really weird.
Apple announced they're going to let app developers use their AI tools to build better apps. Which sounds great, except it feels like they're basically saying, "Hey, we can't figure this out – can you guys help?"
It's like a teacher asking students to write the lesson plan. Sure, it might work, but shouldn't Apple be the one with the answers?
Don't get me wrong – getting developers involved is smart. But when you're Apple, and you've built your entire reputation on having everything figured out before anyone else, asking for help feels... different.
Here's the thing nobody wants to say out loud: Apple built their entire business on selling you stuff. Physical stuff. iPhones, iPads, Macs. They make money when you buy things.
But AI? AI lives in the cloud. Google, Microsoft, Amazon – they already have massive computer farms running 24/7. They can just add AI to what they're already doing.
Apple has to squeeze AI into your phone. And honestly? Your phone isn't powerful enough to run the really impressive AI stuff. That's why they partnered with OpenAI – because they need someone else's computers to make Siri not sound like a broken record.
The problem is, if AI doesn't need better hardware, why would you upgrade your iPhone? Apple's whole business model depends on you buying new phones every few years. But if the AI runs in the cloud anyway...
You see the problem.
The Stock Market Noticed
Apple's stock dropped after the conference. It's down 19% this year already, and Monday didn't help. When Wall Street analysts are calling your biggest announcements "incremental," that's not exactly a ringing endorsement.
One analyst basically said, "Everything they announced, you can already do with other apps." Ouch.
I own Apple stock (small confession here), and I'm starting to worry. Not about tomorrow – Apple's not going anywhere. But in five years? Ten years? They need to figure this out.
Okay, let's be fair. Apple didn't announce nothing.
They showed off some nice design changes, improved their operating systems, and promised that AI features are coming.
The Liquid Glass thing does look pretty. If you're into that sort of thing. It makes everything look more... flowy? Organic? I don't know, it's fine.
They also announced they're working on making Siri understand what's on your screen. So maybe by early next year, you can ask Siri about something you're looking at and it won't completely misunderstand. Progress!
But here's what I was hoping for: Siri that actually works. AI that makes my phone noticeably smarter. Features that make me think, "Wow, I need to upgrade."
Instead, I got promises and partnerships and "coming soon" messages.
Apple used to be the company that showed us the future. The iPhone didn't just improve on existing phones – it made them obsolete overnight. The iPad created an entire category that didn't exist before.
But with AI, Apple is playing catch-up. And they're not just a little behind – they're way behind. It's like watching a Formula 1 driver stuck in traffic.
The companies leading AI right now? They give it away for free, or nearly free. OpenAI, Google, Microsoft, Anthropic – they want you using their AI, regardless of what device you have.
Apple wants you to buy their device to use their AI. Except their AI isn't good enough yet to justify buying anything.
What Happens Next?
The next iPhones come out this fall. If Apple can't show us something genuinely impressive then, they're in trouble. Not "going out of business" trouble – they have too much money for that. But "no longer the cool kid in tech class" trouble.
I really want Apple to succeed here. When they get it right, they get it really right.
They have the money, they have smart people, they have loyal customers. What they don't have is time. Every month they wait, Google and OpenAI get further ahead.
Maybe they'll surprise us. Maybe that smarter Siri will blow everyone away when it finally shows up. Maybe all this waiting will be worth it.
But right now? I'm not holding my breath.
Apple spent this week showing us prettier software and promising better AI someday. Meanwhile, I opened ChatGPT on my phone and had a more intelligent conversation than I've ever had with Siri.
That tells you everything you need to know about where Apple stands in the AI race.
They're not out of it yet. But they're definitely not winning.
About the author: Rupesh Bhambwani is a technology enthusiast specializing in the broad technology industry dynamics and international technology policy.
When not obsessing over nanometer-scale transistors, energy requirements of AI models, real-world impacts of the AI revolution and staring at the stars, he can be found trying to explain to his relatives why their smartphones are actually miracles of modern engineering, usually to limited success.