Apple Intelligence: A Strategic Failure – What Went Wrong and What’s Next
A recent report by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has shed light on Apple’s AI strategy, revealing a number of strategic failures that have hindered the launch of Apple Intelligence. According to Gurman, Apple was caught off-guard by the new generative AI trend, and as a result, the company’s software chief, Craig Federighi, was "reluctant" to invest heavily in the technology.
As reported by 9to5Mac, Federighi didn’t see AI as a "core capability" and believed that investing too much in it would take away from other areas without paying off. This sentiment was shared by other leaders within the company, who were also hesitant to invest in AI. As one longtime executive noted, "In the world of AI, you really don’t know what the product is until you’ve done the investment. That’s not how Apple is wired. Apple sits down to build a product knowing what the endgame is."
The report also claims that Apple AI chief John Giannandrea faced challenges in getting the company to invest in AI. When he started at Apple, he concluded that the company would need to spend a lot more money on AI, but his efforts were "often stymied." This lack of investment has had a significant impact on the development of Apple’s AI capabilities, including Siri.
The Future of Siri and Apple Intelligence
According to Gurman, significant upgrades to Siri, including those promised nearly a year ago, are unlikely to be discussed much at next month’s WWDC, where Apple will announce iOS 19 and more. As 9to5Mac reports, Apple plans to add additional Apple Intelligence capabilities to other apps, including an AI-powered battery optimization tool and a virtual health coach, dubbed Project Mulberry.
In a bid to comply with European Union regulations, Apple is also working on implementing a new capability that will allow EU residents to ditch Siri entirely and use third-party voice assistants instead. This feature will be distinct from the existing ChatGPT integration in Siri.
Revamping Siri’s Infrastructure
Apple is continuing to work on its new "LLM Siri" infrastructure, which aims to fix the engineering issues that led to the delayed and poorly received Siri. Despite this, the company wants to separate Siri from Apple Intelligence in its marketing efforts, acknowledging that Siri’s poor reputation is impacting the company’s AI messaging.
As quoted in the 9to5Mac article, Apple sources say the company is preparing to separate the Apple Intelligence brand from Siri in its marketing, a tacit admission that the voice assistant’s poor reputation isn’t helping the company’s AI messaging.
Lessons Learned
The report also notes that Apple wants to stop touting features more than a few months before they’re able to launch, a move that aims to manage expectations and avoid disappointment. This approach is a direct result of the company’s experiences with Siri, which was heavily promoted before its release but ultimately failed to meet expectations.
In conclusion, Apple’s AI strategy has faced significant challenges, including a lack of investment and poor planning. While the company is working to revamp its Siri infrastructure and add new AI capabilities to its apps, it remains to be seen how these efforts will pay off. One thing is certain, however: Apple has learned valuable lessons from its experiences with Siri, and the company is determined to do better in the future.
For more information on Apple’s AI strategy and the future of Siri, readers can refer to the detailed report by 9to5Mac.
