Apple launches 'privacy-first' AI upgrade to Siri – but it won't be available in the EU

Apple has launched its long-awaited, privacy-focused Siri AI upgrade, but the new assistant and its dependent features will not be available in the EU or China.

Released on Monday, the reimagined assistant relies on on-device processing and a private cloud system to protect user data, but its global rollout has hit a regulatory roadblock.

Siri AI will "initially" not be available on iOS, iPadOS, and watchOS in the EU, including any features that rely on the software to function, according to Apple. Notably, these restrictions do not include the UK.

Some of the new functionality users will miss out on have been long-awaitied AI updates, powered by the newest generation of Apple Intelligence in partnership with Google, that put Apple in a competitive position among other AI providers like OpenAI.

With its dedicated Siri AI app, which uses iCloud to "privately sync conversational history" across different Apple devices, Apple has created a 'chatbot' experience to rival well-established counterparts such as ChatGPT and Google Gemini.

The company said it's "working hard to find a path forward that preserves its users' privacy and security".

Similarly, the company said Siri AI and other new Apple Intelligence features will also not be available in China while it "works through regulatory requirements".

Apple vs the EU

Although the exact reasons behind this delayed launch to the EU market have not been revealed, signs point to friction between Apple's closed ecosystem interacting with EU mandates.

"The stand-off between Apple and the EU is an ongoing saga that currently shows few signs of being resolved," Ben Wood, Chief Analyst at CCS Insight, told ITPro.

According to Wood, Apple's approach to user privacy currently doesn't comply with EU regulations as parts of its platforms, such as Private Cloud Compute, are completely closed off.

The EU's new AI Act rules, some of which came into force last month, are focusing heavily on AI transparency and visibility.

Apple said that when in use, Private Cloud Compute does not store any data or make it available to anyone, including Apple itself, adding that "outside experts can continue to verify this privacy promise at any time".

"Despite months of lobbying the EU, little progress has been made, and the EU is refusing to flex. This means Apple users in the EU will not get the full benefit of the new Apple Intelligence and Siri AI features for the foreseeable future," Wood added.

Although there is some hope that the two entities can come to an agreement, Apple has also recently announced some important updates to its App Tracking Transparency in the region, which it said is "part of agreements with select European competition authorities".

Users caught in the crossfire

While Apple and the EU lock horns, Wood said it's the consumers who are losing out at the end of the day.

He said the situation is akin to "two parents in an unhappy marriage who are constantly arguing; It's the kids (in this case, Apple iPhone owners) who suffer the most".

EU users will miss out on Siri's new capabilities, which include on-screen awareness, allowing users to ask it to take actions related to content on their screen; improved understanding of images with visual intelligence; and more accurate dictation.

This will be in addition to improved capabilities across everyday apps, with Apple stating that the new Siri "helps users get more done than ever before".

Wood said he'll be interested to see how public sentiment towards the delayed launch becomes affected as "at present, neither Apple nor the EU will back down".

"Consumers will either vent their frustration towards the politicians, Apple, or both. I suspect it's the politicians who will get the most heat initially," he added.