APPLE
Apple’s “Hawaii swim” pep talk didn’t land
Apple promised a big Siri upgrade back in June 2024, but the Apple Intelligence-powered version was delayed in May 2025.
Around then, Siri’s director Robby Walker gave a pep talk to the team that went viral.
He compared the project to trying (and failing) to swim to Hawaii, an impressive effort, but not the end goal.
His point was that Apple wouldn’t launch until it hit its high-quality bar, even if rivals pushed out weaker versions.
Walker later moved to a different team, working on an AI search project called Answers.
Apple relies on ChatGPT to handle Siri’s general knowledge.
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Walker will leave Apple at the end of October, after his team size was significantly reduced.
TL;DR:
Siri’s new AI-powered version is targeted for spring 2026.
Robby Walker, former Siri lead, is leaving Apple this October.
Apple may use Google’s Gemini to power parts of the upgraded Siri.
Walker exits stage left
Leadership has shifted too.
Siri is now under Mike Rockwell, who previously led Apple Vision Pro and visionOS.
Apple is aiming to launch the upgraded Siri in spring 2026, potentially with support from Google’s Gemini model.
While Apple could use its own in-house AI, Google may play a role in making the new Siri operational.
Meanwhile, Apple’s search deal with Google remains untouched, despite recent court battles.
Sooooo, Siri’s on a gap year until 2026 or something?