Apple’s long-promised AI overhaul for Siri runs into bugs, possible delays

Apple’s long-promised overhaul for the Siri digital assistant is facing engineering problems and software bugs, threatening to postpone or limit its release, according to people with knowledge of the matter.

The company first unveiled plans for a new AI-infused Siri at its developers conference last June and has even advertised some of the features to customers. But Apple is still racing to finish the software, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the situation is private. Some features, originally planned for April, may have to be postponed until May or later, they said.

The Siri makeover is a centerpiece of the Apple Intelligence platform, the company’s effort to catch up in AI and spur iPhone upgrades. Even before the Siri snags, Apple Intelligence has had a bumpy rollout. The software has been released in stages since an October debut, and some features — such as news summaries — have drawn criticism for glitches.

Getting Siri right is especially crucial for Apple, which first introduced the digital assistant in 2011 as a groundbreaking interface. After falling behind competitors, the technology has come to represent the company’s shortcomings in artificial intelligence.