EU Blames Apple for Siri AI Absence in Europe
The European Commission stated Apple alone decided not to launch its new Siri AI in the EU, refuting Apple's claims that regulators were uncooperative. Brussels insists Apple sought an exemption rather than a compliant solution.
BRUSSELS – The European Commission on Tuesday asserted that Apple bears sole responsibility for the decision to withhold its new Siri AI features from European Union users, directly contradicting the tech giant's assertion that regulatory bodies failed to engage constructively. Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier informed reporters that Apple did not pursue a compliant path but instead requested to be entirely excused from its legal obligations under the Digital Markets Act (DMA).
"The decision not to roll out Siri AI in the EU is Apple's and Apple's only," Regnier stated. "Apple was simply unable to develop interoperability solutions that meet essential EU privacy and security standards. Instead of trying to find a suitable compliance solution, Apple simply made a request to the European Commission to be exempted from their interoperability obligations. That's not an option."
This official account appears to diverge significantly from Apple's narrative. The Cupertino-based company announced Monday that its AI-enhanced Siri would not be available in the EU on iOS or iPadOS at launch, citing regulators' alleged refusal to accept proposed solutions. Craig Federighi, Apple's senior vice president of Software Engineering, expressed his company's "deep disappointment," pointing to what Apple characterized as a regulatory stance that rejected all proposals, including one dubbed "Trusted System Agent." This system, Apple claimed, would have enabled third-party virtual assistants to securely access device capabilities on par with the native Siri AI.
EU Regulators' Stance on Digital Markets Act Compliance
The Commission's perspective frames the situation not as a negotiation impasse, but as Apple bypassing the compliance process. Rather than engaging in detailed discussions over Apple's specific technical proposals, EU officials contend that Apple sought a broad exemption from the DMA's interoperability mandates. Such a sweeping waiver, the Commission emphasized, is not permissible under the existing legal framework. Apple had previously described the DMA's requirements as necessitating "nearly unlimited access" for any AI system to a user's device, a premise the Commission appears to dispute by maintaining that viable security and privacy solutions were achievable.
The ramifications for European users are immediate. When iOS 27 and other significant software updates from Apple are released later in 2026, EU consumers will be unable to access the new Siri AI or its accompanying features. This includes the dedicated interface for reviewing and initiating new conversational threads with the AI. Apple has indicated a desire to eventually introduce Siri AI to the European market and pledged to continue dialogue with regulators, though no concrete timeline has been provided. The dispute highlights the ongoing tension between technology innovation and stringent regulatory oversight in the digital age, particularly concerning user data privacy and the competitive landscape for AI services within major global markets.