APPLE'S SIRI UNDERGOES MAJOR OVERHAUL UNDER NEW LEADERSHIP

Apple's virtual assistant, Siri, is experiencing a significant transformation as its new engineering chief, Mike Rockwell, implements sweeping internal changes to revitalize the long-stagnant project.

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Rockwell, previously instrumental in developing the Vision Pro headset, has taken decisive steps to restructure Siri's management and development teams, aiming to accelerate the delivery of advanced AI features promised for iOS 19. For Apple users, developers, and industry observers, this shakeup signals a renewed commitment to making Siri a competitive player in the rapidly evolving AI assistant landscape.

Rockwell's appointment follows years of criticism that Siri has lagged behind rivals like Amazon's Alexa and Google Assistant, with delays in its Apple Intelligence-powered upgrade underscoring internal challenges. The U.S. District Court's recent ruling against Google for monopolistic practices in search and advertising has heightened scrutiny on Big Tech, pushing Apple to bolster its offerings. Rockwell's leadership is focused on addressing Siri's technical shortcomings and aligning its capabilities with user expectations for a more intuitive, context-aware assistant.

The overhaul involves replacing key Siri managers with Vision Pro veterans, restructuring teams to enhance speech, performance, and user experience, and adopting opensource third-party language models to boost functionality. These changes come as Apple navigates infrastructure demands and competitive pressures in the $90 billion AI software market. With a global user base exceeding one billion devices, Siri's transformation could redefine Apple's position in the digital assistant arena, promising a smarter, more responsive experience by late 2025.

LEADERSHIP RESTRUCTURING DRIVES SIRI'S TURNAROUND