Gandalf_The_Grey
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Apple couldn't build the best AI for Siri, so it's borrowing Google's
- Thread starter Gandalf_The_Grey
- Start date
- Featured
Something they should’ve done from the start and then in the background they could’ve worked on their own LLM…
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ForgottenSeer 114717
Apple SIRI is a almost useless. Every single time that someone needs it the most, SIRI fails them almost 99% of the time except for the simple commands "Turn ON/OFF Bluetooth."
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
As of early 2026, we actually have a very clear picture of why Siri has struggled so much—and what Apple is finally doing to fix it.
1. The "Stone Age" Architecture
Until recently, Siri was built on a rigid "intent-based" system. When you speak, Siri tries to match your words to a pre-defined list of commands (like "Set a timer" or "What’s the weather?"). If your request doesn't perfectly match one of those "slots," it fails.
The Problem: It can’t "think" or understand nuance; it’s basically just a voice-activated remote control.
The Result: You get the infamous "I found this on the web" because Siri doesn't actually understand the question—it's just handing you a search result.
2. The "Privacy Handcuffs"
Apple’s biggest selling point—privacy—has historically been Siri's biggest technical hurdle.
On-Device Processing: While Google and Amazon processed your voice in the cloud using massive servers, Apple tried to do as much as possible on your iPhone to keep your data private.
Data Hunger: Modern AI (LLMs) needs mountains of data to learn how to be "smart." Apple’s refusal to harvest user data in the same way its competitors do meant Siri had a much smaller "brain" to train on.
3. Internal Chaos and "AIMLess"
Recent reports from 2025 and early 2026 have revealed significant internal struggles at Apple. The AI division was reportedly nicknamed "AIMLess" by employees due to shifting goals and leadership changes.
The "V1" Failure: Apple’s software chief, Craig Federighi, recently admitted that the first version of the "New Siri" (promised in 2024) only worked about two-thirds of the time. They had to scrap much of that work and start over with a "V2" architecture.
The Good News: The "Brain Transplant" has Begun
If you've been using Siri today (January 12, 2026), you might have seen the news that broke just hours ago. Apple has officially confirmed a massive partnership to fix this:
Google Gemini Integration: Apple has announced that Google Gemini will now power the "brain" of the next-generation Siri. This is a huge shift, moving away from Apple trying to do everything solo.
iOS 26.4 Update: This "New Siri" is expected to launch this spring. It is designed to have "Personal Context Awareness"—meaning it can actually look at your emails, texts, and calendar to answer complex questions like, "What time does my mom’s flight land, and should I leave now to meet her for lunch?"
The "Pulsing Glow": You may have noticed the new colorful glowing border on your screen. That’s the visual sign of "Apple Intelligence," though the full conversational smarts are still rolling out in phases through 2026.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
It’s a common frustration, and you’re certainly not alone in feeling that way. For a long time, Siri has felt like it’s stuck in 2011 while the rest of the world moved on to ChatGPT and advanced AI.As of early 2026, we actually have a very clear picture of why Siri has struggled so much—and what Apple is finally doing to fix it.
1. The "Stone Age" Architecture
Until recently, Siri was built on a rigid "intent-based" system. When you speak, Siri tries to match your words to a pre-defined list of commands (like "Set a timer" or "What’s the weather?"). If your request doesn't perfectly match one of those "slots," it fails.
The Problem: It can’t "think" or understand nuance; it’s basically just a voice-activated remote control.
The Result: You get the infamous "I found this on the web" because Siri doesn't actually understand the question—it's just handing you a search result.
2. The "Privacy Handcuffs"
Apple’s biggest selling point—privacy—has historically been Siri's biggest technical hurdle.
On-Device Processing: While Google and Amazon processed your voice in the cloud using massive servers, Apple tried to do as much as possible on your iPhone to keep your data private.
Data Hunger: Modern AI (LLMs) needs mountains of data to learn how to be "smart." Apple’s refusal to harvest user data in the same way its competitors do meant Siri had a much smaller "brain" to train on.
3. Internal Chaos and "AIMLess"
Recent reports from 2025 and early 2026 have revealed significant internal struggles at Apple. The AI division was reportedly nicknamed "AIMLess" by employees due to shifting goals and leadership changes.
The "V1" Failure: Apple’s software chief, Craig Federighi, recently admitted that the first version of the "New Siri" (promised in 2024) only worked about two-thirds of the time. They had to scrap much of that work and start over with a "V2" architecture.
The Good News: The "Brain Transplant" has Begun
If you've been using Siri today (January 12, 2026), you might have seen the news that broke just hours ago. Apple has officially confirmed a massive partnership to fix this:
Google Gemini Integration: Apple has announced that Google Gemini will now power the "brain" of the next-generation Siri. This is a huge shift, moving away from Apple trying to do everything solo.
iOS 26.4 Update: This "New Siri" is expected to launch this spring. It is designed to have "Personal Context Awareness"—meaning it can actually look at your emails, texts, and calendar to answer complex questions like, "What time does my mom’s flight land, and should I leave now to meet her for lunch?"
The "Pulsing Glow": You may have noticed the new colorful glowing border on your screen. That’s the visual sign of "Apple Intelligence," though the full conversational smarts are still rolling out in phases through 2026.
F
ForgottenSeer 114717
Caveat:
Even Google Gemini can not give you what you ask for or it will do things that you did not want. So, in the end, Gemini being software will be only as good as how well it is programmed - and most programmers don't know about the average human and they sure as heck don't play well with others, particularly those with differing opinions. They can't take legitimate criticisms because they are sensitive and they think that "software for the masses" is the thing to do as opposed to "educating the masses."
I just want AI that is going to give me the right directions instead of sending me over a cliff or off the road down a dolomite ravine.
EU will beat down Apple Gemini powered SIRI.
Even Google Gemini can not give you what you ask for or it will do things that you did not want. So, in the end, Gemini being software will be only as good as how well it is programmed - and most programmers don't know about the average human and they sure as heck don't play well with others, particularly those with differing opinions. They can't take legitimate criticisms because they are sensitive and they think that "software for the masses" is the thing to do as opposed to "educating the masses."
I just want AI that is going to give me the right directions instead of sending me over a cliff or off the road down a dolomite ravine.
EU will beat down Apple Gemini powered SIRI.
Software companies are commercial businesses operating for profit. For education, the masses should explore their local university and student financing options.
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ForgottenSeer 114717
A 1970s old school push grass mower is "more intelligence and capable" than Apple SIRI.
SIRI is the very definition and definitive example of "garbage code." Probably one of the worst user experiences one can find on any digital device.
SIRI is the very definition and definitive example of "garbage code." Probably one of the worst user experiences one can find on any digital device.
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ForgottenSeer 114717
I get the corporations are capitalism personified.
I'm just talking about other software developers, generally.
Education and educating the population are societal and public policy problems. Sort of like stopping people from killing themselves from eating too much. Society's response: "Oh, that's just too difficult to protect people from themselves."
If you don’t have a sense when exactly to stop eating, whose responsibility is to teach you how to eat? That’s again, your parent’s job, not the job of the society. Alternatively, you can pay to be consulted by a dietitian.
yeah I guess so, but with exception: in my car Apple CarPlay, "Hey Siri" does a pretty job of finding the correct location and good route, and I was use to Tesla's navigation which was always very good for me, and I see Tesla is now integrating CarPlay into their new cars. So far I have have hardly used Grok in Tesla yet...
parents who are overweight probably let their kids overeat, US pop 40%+ obese according to
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ForgottenSeer 114717
We live in a world where the vast majority of people die from over-eating. Death from starvation happens, but it is far down the list of things that kill people. Most people kill themselves via their diet.parents who are overweight probably let their kids overeat, US pop 40%+ obese according to
Everybody wants to blame the food manufacturers.
Did those food producers, processors, and manufacturers force a person to cut the top off a 1 gallon of milk and then eat two full "Family" packs of double stuff Oreos, and then eat 1 full "Family" bag of Doritos and 1 liter of Coca Cola? And that's just the day's snack.
When in Vietnam, after seeing thousands of people while there, I think I saw two people that I would call obese of those two, I think one was not Vietnamese but a Chinese citizen that immigrated to Vietnam.
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