EU blames Apple alone for withholding Siri AI in Europe
European Commission
AI
Europe
iOS
Apple
Siri
TLDR: BRUSSELS—The European Commission says Apple blocked Siri AI in the EU, seeking a blanket exemption under the DMA instead of compliant interoperability solutions.
Key Takeaways:
- Regulators point to the Digital Markets Act, which pushes gatekeepers to share interoperable access while protecting user privacy and security.
- Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier says Apple failed to build interoperability solutions and asked for an exemption rather than a compliant approach.
- EU users will not get Siri AI on iOS or iPadOS after upcoming releases, deepening the friction between Apple and DMA enforcement.
- Apple cited a proposed Trusted System Agent and said regulators rejected it, while the Commission rejects the exemption framing entirely.
Apple is treating EU rules like a design hurdle it can negotiate away. The Commission is calling that bluff, and EU users are the ones stuck without Siri AI.
Apple is treating EU rules like a design hurdle it can negotiate away. The Commission is calling that bluff, and EU users are the ones stuck without Siri AI.
Q&A
If Apple wanted a compliant path, what would interoperability actually need to deliver for third party assistants to work safely?
It would likely require controlled device capability access with audited permissions, clear privacy guarantees, and security mechanisms that meet EU requirements without exposing sensitive functions.
Why does the Commission insist an exemption is not available, even if Apple argues the DMA access model is extreme?
Because the DMA is built to standardize access obligations for gatekeepers. A blanket waiver would undermine the law’s leverage and consistency across the EU market.
What happens to developers and competitors if Siri AI stays out while other assistants still need device access?
They may lean harder on alternative workflows and app level integrations, but device level features will remain constrained, slowing parity with iOS experiences outside the EU.
How might the EU enforce this next, beyond simply blocking a launch?
The Commission can pursue deeper DMA actions tied to interoperability compliance, potentially including formal proceedings and remedies that pressure Apple to meet specific technical standards.
Could Apple’s later EU rollout depend on a technical change to trusted agents like Trusted System Agent?
Yes. If Apple can convert that concept into a demonstrably compliant interoperability design, it gives regulators a measurable basis to approve or stop pushing for further changes.
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