Apple’s Siri Struggles: Underfunded, Outdated, and Falling Behind

Apple’s AI ambitions are being dragged down by a glaring weak link: Siri, the once-iconic voice assistant that now finds itself years behind the competition—and underfunded at a critical moment.

According to reports, CEO Tim Cook pushed in 2023 for a major budget increase to revamp Siri’s core with cutting-edge AI chips. But that push was blocked by CFO Luca Maestri, who instead forced Apple’s AI team to work with aging, less capable processors. The result? Siri is operating on a fraction of the horsepower rivals like ChatGPT and Google Gemini now command.

Internally, Siri’s AI team has been described as directionless and deflated. Leadership turnover, especially the replacement of AI chief John Giannandrea in early 2025, has left Apple without a clear vision. Former employees told The New York Times that “no one at the top knew what they wanted Siri to be.”

Meanwhile, competitors are racing ahead. Microsoft, Google, and even Meta are rolling out seamless AI tools that are integrated across devices and ecosystems. Apple, by contrast, is now estimating a full Siri overhaul won’t be ready until 2027—a full decade after ChatGPT rewrote the playbook.

The implications are massive. Siri isn’t just a voice assistant—it’s central to Apple’s future in smart homes, AR, and hands-free computing. A delayed rollout means missed opportunities and a risk of consumers jumping ship for ecosystems that simply do more.

As Apple throws billions into new AI data centers and tries to salvage momentum with U.S.-based investments, the question remains: Can you fix the future when your foundation is broken—and underfunded? Right now, Siri isn’t just behind. It’s holding Apple back.