Could WWDC be Apple's AI turning point? Here's what analysts are predicting

Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) is only a couple of days away, and there is palpable anticipation regarding what is next for its AI platform, Apple Intelligence.

The world was first introduced to Apple Intelligence at last year's WWDC. The company advertised that Siri would be upgraded to have insights into all of your interactions with your device to provide next-level, personal, and intuitive assistance. That feature has not yet shipped to devices, leaving many users frustrated as they still wait for what is next.

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On the other hand, Apple did unveil a suite of other AI features that, while not as flashy, were practical and helpful, such as Clean Up in Photos, Genmoji, Writing Tools, Priority Notifications, and more. These features were integrated tactfully, making them easy to use without overwhelming users. For some users, this was enough to keep them satisfied.

So, as WWDC is around the corner, a big question remains: Will AI be able to catch up with competitors in the AI race, and what would it take to do so? ZDNET talked to analysts and gathered their perspectives on whether Apple is behind and what it needs to do, and the results are split.

Need for a clear roadmap of what is to come

There are many questions about when the biggest Apple Intelligence feature, Siri 2.0, will be released. Apple has publicly stated that giving Siri awareness of a user's personal context and taking action for users within apps would take longer than it had thought. It also said it anticipates rolling out the features in the coming year. However, a Bloomberg report places the timeline even further, as late as 2027.

For users who upgraded their iPhones to models with an A18 chipset to support these Apple Intelligence features, much of the frustration stems from not knowing when they will get the update. Adding another layer of confusion is that this approach deviates from what Apple has typically adhered to in the past, says Tom Mainelli, IDC's group vice president of device and consumer research.

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"It certainly appears that Apple is behind here in 2025, in part because they made a lot of promises at WWDC 2024, and have yet to fulfill a lot of those promises, and I think it was kind of an uncharacteristic error on Apple's part," said Mainelli. "They tend to sort of hold back and really only talk about stuff when they're ready to talk about it, and traditionally, that has served them well."

As a result, Mainelli expects Apple to be a bit more conservative in its announcements this year. While this may seem disappointing to some, Forrester vice president and principal analyst Dipanjan Chatterjee suggests that caution and clarity are of the essence to restore users' confidence.

"Apple Intelligence hasn't lived up to its promise, and, in particular, Siri has fallen well short of delivering the seamless interaction that consumers are now accustomed to from gen AI agents," said Chatterjee. "WWDC would be the ideal time to lay out a clear roadmap of improvements and alleviate concerns that the experience may fall behind its competitors."

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On the theme of transparency, it is also important for Apple to be realistic when discussing what is to come. If the company is going to announce any new Apple Intelligence features, they need to be deliverable so as not to frustrate users further. Although it may seem like it is behind, Paolo Pescatore, PP Foresight founder and TMT analyst, encourages the company to take its time to avoid disappointing users further.

"While there is no clear leader in the AI race as it's still early days, arguably Apple's efforts are not resonating with customers," said Pescatore. "This is a marathon and not a sprint, so there is time, but much more work needs to be done under the hood. Apple needs to tread carefully not to frustrate and disappoint its loyal base of (iPhone) users."

Apple may not be as behind as it seems

Although it is unlike Apple to launch or announce a feature without being ready to roll it out to devices, the AI space is moving so quickly that other companies have similarly had to hold back from releasing some of their most innovative and exciting features.

A prime example is Microsoft Recall, a feature meant to record the user's screen and index the information to make it searchable with AI. It was announced in May 2024 and initially supposed to be released to the public in June 2024, but was delayed several times for privacy reasons, finally launching in preview in April 2025.

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"I think it's important to note that almost everybody who has made promises has had a hard time fulfilling them to date -- Microsoft, with Copilot Plus and some of the features in Copilot Plus around Windows, has taken longer to deliver, I think you can say the same about Amazon and Alexa Plus," said Mainelli.

Beyond that, even though it may seem like Apple is lagging behind other companies in the AI race because its AI features aren't the most advanced in the space, at the moment it is also worth noting how nascent this AI space is.

Since ChatGPT was launched in November 2022, which kicked off the generative AI craze, strides have been taken in the space. However, generally speaking, the features readily available right now are still on the same AI assistant spectrum, with none breaking very far into the agentic space -- just yet.

(Disclosure: Ziff Davis, ZDNET's parent company, filed an April 2025 lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.)

Also: How Apple plans to train its AI on your data without sacrificing your privacy

"Apple gives the perception that it is lagging behind other technology companies when it comes to AI, however direct competitors in the device space are not yet offering drastically differentiated and more integrated AI user-experiences, I therefore disagree Apple is really late in the AI race, which is more of a marathon than a sprint," said Andrew Cornwall, Forrester VP and Principal Analyst.

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