Apple has delayed plans to infuse its voice assistant Siri with artificial intelligence-powered capabilities, a move that has taken a toll on the team working on the project. In an all-hands meeting, senior director Robby Walker acknowledged the team’s frustration and embarrassment over the missed deadline.
The situation comes after Apple ran ads promoting the new features last year, promising they would arrive by June this year. However, there is no clear timeline for their release. The current version of Siri only works about 80% of the time, a significant drop from previous performance.
While missing a deadline can be painful, it’s worth noting that most iPhone owners aren’t missing those promised features much. A recent survey found that only 27% of users find the company’s new AI features to “add value.” The delay highlights the challenges companies face in getting consumers to use artificial intelligence technology.
Other companies like Amazon are facing similar struggles, with Alexa’s AI-powered features being slow-rolled and introduced on a limited basis. Despite the hype surrounding AI, finding ways to make it user-friendly remains a significant challenge.
Source: https://gizmodo.com/apple-overpromised-on-ai-siri-and-its-staff-is-not-happy-about-it-2000576368