Apple’s Siri struggles again, fails to answer ‘What month is it?’—Sparks backlash

Apple is facing renewed criticism after its virtual assistant, Siri, failed to answer simple questions such as “What month is it?” The issue, first highlighted in a Reddit thread and later reported by technology writer John Gruber, has led to growing frustration among users who have been waiting for significant improvements since Apple first introduced Siri in 2011, reported 9To5Mac.

Notably, the delay in rolling out Apple’s promised AI-powered Siri update has only intensified scrutiny on the tech giant’s artificial intelligence efforts.

The report added that despite Apple’s ambitious plans to introduce a more intelligent and personalised Siri—teased at WWDC 2024—the virtual assistant remains unable to handle straightforward queries.

Reportedly, users who attempted to ask Siri about the current month were met with confusing responses, including incorrect dates such as “Saturday, March 1, 2025.” When Siri was first launched in 2011, Apple positioned it as a revolutionary tool that would enable users to interact naturally with their devices. However, nearly 14 years later, it appears that the company has struggled to make Siri function as intended.

To recall, at WWDC 2024, Apple announced a major overhaul of Siri, promising a more advanced assistant powered by on-device intelligence capable of contextual awareness. This updated version was supposed to understand user intent more effectively by drawing information from personal data, such as emails, text messages, and photos.

Apple is also believed to be facing an internal discontent and industry criticism following significant delays to key features for its Siri virtual assistant. A senior executive admitted that the setbacks have been "ugly and embarrassing," admitting the company’s ongoing difficulties in artificial intelligence (AI).

During an all-hands meeting for the Siri division, Robby Walker, Apple’s senior director overseeing the assistant, recently acknowledged the team’s frustration and disappointment. He attributed the problems to Apple’s premature decision to publicly promote features that were not yet fully developed. The company had initially intended to launch enhancements to Siri this spring, but these are now expected to be delayed until at least next year.