The European Union rejected Apple’s claim that European digital competition rules are responsible for delaying the rollout of its Artificial Intelligence-enhanced Siri in the bloc. Apple unveiled an Artificial Intelligence overhaul for the iPhone with a strengthened Siri, dubbed Siri Artificial Intelligence, designed to imitate natural communication, track information across apps such as Maps and Mail, and carry out tasks.
Apple said it could not offer Siri Artificial Intelligence in Europe because of the Digital Markets Act, the European Union’s online competition rulebook. European Union digital affairs spokesman Thomas Regnier said the decision not to roll out Siri Artificial Intelligence in the European Union is Apple’s alone, adding that nothing in the Digital Markets Act prohibits Apple from introducing new products in the region.
The dispute centers on interoperability obligations for the world’s largest digital companies. European Union rules require Apple to open its products to features made by rivals, and Regnier said Apple was unable to develop interoperability solutions that meet essential European Union privacy and security standards. Apple sought an exemption from the interoperability rules, but the European Commission did not approve the request.
Regnier said an exemption was not an option because it would favor Apple’s Siri, powered by Google, on Apple’s own products. Other Artificial Intelligence agents would not have an equal chance to be chosen by iPhone users, according to the European Union’s position. The clash adds to a broader pattern of tension between Apple and Brussels over the Digital Markets Act, which Apple last year called to repeal and has previously cited when delaying other feature rollouts in Europe.
