Apple May Push Siri AI Upgrade Beyond March 2026 Target

This article first appeared on GuruFocus.

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) appears to be facing another pivotal stretch in its AI roadmap as its long-promised Siri overhaul runs into fresh testing friction. After internally targeting iOS 26.4 for a March 2026 debut as recently as last month, the company is now evaluating whether key capabilities should shift into iOS 26.5 in May or even iOS 27 in September, according to people familiar with the matter. The revamped assistant, first introduced in June 2024 with ambitions to tap into personal data and on-screen context, was already delayed once to 2026. Recent tests, however, suggest Siri does not always process queries correctly and can take longer than expected to respond, potentially complicating Apple’s intended spring 2026 timeline. The stock trimmed intraday gains following the report, rising 1.1% to $276.71 after earlier being up as much as 2.4%.

Engineers have recently been instructed to test the new Siri features under iOS 26.5, and internal builds of that version include references to additional enhancements. One of the more ambitious upgrades allowing Siri to search personal data, such as locating a podcast shared in old messages and playing it instantly is seen as particularly vulnerable to delay. Early versions reportedly include a preview toggle for employees, suggesting Apple may consider labeling parts of the rollout as incomplete. Advanced voice-driven app intents, designed to execute multi-step commands like finding, editing and sending an image in a single request, are said to exist in early form but do not function reliably in all cases. Testers have cited accuracy issues, interruptions when users speak quickly, challenges with complex queries requiring longer processing, and instances where Siri defaults to its OpenAI ChatGPT integration instead of Apple’s own models.

The broader strategy rests on a new architecture called Linwood, powered by Apple Foundations Models and incorporating technology from Alphabet’s Google Gemini team. Internal versions of iOS 26.5 also include two unannounced tools a web search feature that synthesizes information with summarized details and links, and custom image generation using the same engine as Image Playground though testers describe the latter as finicky. Looking ahead, Apple is developing a more extensive AI push for iOS 27, iPadOS 27 and macOS 27 under the code name Campo, aiming to reshape Siri into a chatbot-style interface powered by Google servers and a more advanced Gemini model. Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook recently told employees that Apple is building new data-center chips to bolster AI capabilities, while software head Craig Federighi emphasized that personalized AI must protect user privacy by keeping data on device or within privacy-focused servers. For investors, execution and timing could be central as Apple works to align its AI ambitions with product readiness.