Apple Delays AI Siri Rollout Due to Testing Failures

Apple Inc. is delaying the full launch of its AI-powered Siri overhaul, originally slated for the iOS 26.4 update in March 2026. Internal testing revealed significant performance issues, including slow response times, inaccurate query processing, and a tendency for the system to unexpectedly revert to ChatGPT instead of using its own intended AI engine. Engineers also reported failures in the App Intents framework, which is designed to allow Siri to perform complex, multi-step actions across different applications.

To address these reliability and privacy concerns, the company is moving to a staggered rollout. Limited enhancements may still ship with iOS 26.4, while more advanced capabilities—such as personalized context awareness and personal data integration—are now expected in iOS 26.5 in May and iOS 27 in September. The overhaul, codenamed Linwood, utilizes a 1.2-trillion-parameter custom model based on Google's Gemini AI, following a contract signed in January 2026.

Reports of these setbacks caused Apple shares to drop 5 percent on the NASDAQ. Despite the internal snags, an Apple executive told CNBC and the company officially stated that the revamped assistant remains on course for a 2026 launch. The company is balancing the speed of deployment against strict privacy requirements for local AI processing. Other scaled-back AI initiatives, including an AI health coach and a World Knowledge Answers project, have also faced setbacks following the loss of key talent to competitors like Meta throughout 2025.