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Siri thinks the president is Keir Starmer, and 4 other examples of incompetency that make me yearn for an Apple Intelligence upgrade

Siri thinks the president is Keir Starmer, and 4 other examples of incompetency that make me yearn for an Apple Intelligence upgrade

  • 21.03.2025 17:07
  • techradar.com
  • Keywords: Success, Success

The article highlights several flaws in Siri, such as not knowing the current month, confusing political figures, mishandling calendar commands, and lacking sports awareness. The author humorously expresses frustration with Siri's limitations and eagerly awaits a much-needed upgrade.

Apple NewsAAPLsentiment_dissatisfiedCGEMYsentiment_satisfied

Estimated market influence

Apple

Apple

Negativesentiment_dissatisfied
Analyst rating: Buy

Siri's performance issues have led to negative perception of Apple's AI capabilities.

Advanced Voice Mode

Positivesentiment_satisfied
Analyst rating: N/A

It is mentioned as a competitor to Siri with better voice understanding.

Gemini

Gemini

Positivesentiment_satisfied
Analyst rating: Buy

Another competitor to Siri noted for its capabilities.

Context

Analysis of Siri's Shortcomings and Market Implications

Key Findings:

  • Siri Upgrade Delay: Apple announced a delay in the much-awaited Siri upgrade, originally expected in March 2025 but pushed indefinitely.
  • Competitive Lag: Siri, once a leader, has been lagging behind competitors like Google Assistant and Amazon's Alexa for years.

Critical Incompetencies:

  • Basic Knowledge Gaps:

    • Siri cannot identify the current month when asked directly.
    • Misidentifies Kier Starmer as the "president" of the UK, despite him being the Prime Minister.

  • Natural Language Processing Issues:

    • Struggles to interpret natural language corrections for calendar events (e.g., "Home calendar, not work calendar").
    • Fails to provide updated information about sports seasons, incorrectly referencing past events like Super Bowl LIX.

  • Accent Recognition Limitations:

    • Siri frequently misunderstands or fails to respond to queries with Scottish accents, despite the user having a clear accent.

Competitive Dynamics and Market Implications:

  • Shift in User Loyalty: The delay and incompetencies highlight Apple's struggle to maintain its position as a leader in voice assistants.
  • Opportunity for Competitors: Siri's shortcomings may drive users toward competitors like Google Assistant or Amazon's Alexa, which have shown greater advancements in AI capabilities.
  • Regulatory and Long-Term Effects:
    • If Apple continues to lag, it could face regulatory scrutiny or loss of market share in the smart assistant space.
    • The delay suggests a strategic focus shift toward other products (e.g., Vision Pro), potentially neglecting Siri's critical updates.

Strategic Considerations for Apple:

  • Investment in AI: Immediate improvements and investments in natural language processing are crucial to retain user trust and loyalty.
  • User Expectations: Addressing basic functionalities like date/time, factual accuracy, and accent recognition should be prioritized before advanced features.

Conclusion:

Siri's current state reflects a broader issue with Apple's AI strategy. While the company focuses on other innovations, competitors are capitalizing on Siri's limitations, potentially altering the market dynamics in voice assistants.