At Apple’s 2024 WWDC event, the company made a bold promise: artificial intelligence would fundamentally reshape the iPhone experience. “Apple Intelligence” was supposed to bring a smarter Siri, AI-generated text and images, and personalized user interactions. But nearly a year later, most of these features are still missing. So, what went wrong?

A Pattern of Delays

Apple initially announced that key AI features—like a more conversational Siri and generative text tools—would roll out with iOS 18. But as updates arrived, those features remained absent. Image Playground and Genmoji, which allow users to create AI-generated images and emojis, were delayed until iOS 18.2, and even then, they weren’t immediately available. By early 2025, Apple pushed back personalized Siri upgrades even further, now expected sometime later this year.

The repeated delays have frustrated users, especially as competitors like Google and Microsoft continue advancing AI at a rapid pace. Apple, known for its polished and seamless ecosystem, is suddenly struggling to keep up.

Internal Shakeups and Strategic Shifts

Behind the scenes, Apple has been making big leadership changes. In a major shift, Mike Rockwell—who previously led the Vision Pro team—was put in charge of Siri, replacing longtime AI chief John Giannandrea. This suggests Apple is not happy with the current state of its AI development. It also signals that the company may be rethinking its approach to AI entirely.

Another challenge is Apple’s well-known focus on privacy. Unlike Google, which uses cloud-based AI models, Apple insists on running AI on-device to protect user data. While this is great for privacy, it also makes development much harder, since Apple’s AI must function within the limited hardware of an iPhone or iPad rather than relying on powerful cloud servers.

Legal and Regulatory Roadblocks

Adding to Apple’s AI struggles are legal and regulatory issues. In Europe, Apple delayed the rollout of some AI features due to concerns over the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which requires tech companies to make their platforms more open. Apple argues that complying with these rules could compromise user privacy, but critics say it’s just an excuse to maintain control over its ecosystem.

Apple is also facing a class-action lawsuit in the U.S. over claims that it misled customers about its AI capabilities. The lawsuit alleges that Apple heavily marketed “Apple Intelligence” to boost iPhone 16 sales, despite knowing many of the features weren’t ready. If true, this could be a serious blow to Apple’s reputation.

Is Apple Falling Behind in AI?

Despite the setbacks, Apple has managed to release a few AI-powered tools, such as Priority Notifications, which highlight important alerts on your iPhone’s lock screen. But compared to the sweeping AI upgrades promised last year, these small updates feel underwhelming.

Apple now faces a critical challenge. If it can’t deliver meaningful AI advancements soon, it risks losing ground to competitors who are already integrating AI into their products at a much faster pace. With WWDC 2025 around the corner, Apple has a lot to prove. The question is: will it finally deliver, or will we see another round of empty promises?