Apple’s Upgraded AI Models Disappoint Against Rivals
Apple’s latest push into generative AI has raised eyebrows—not for innovation, but for falling short. Despite the fanfare around its newly updated Apple AI models, the performance metrics shared by the company tell a different story. According to Apple’s own benchmarks, both its on-device and server-based models lag behind competitors like OpenAI, Google, and Meta. For users expecting cutting-edge AI on iPhones or Macs, this update might feel more like a marketing move than a meaningful step forward.
Apple AI Models vs Competitors: A Performance Gap
Apple’s two new AI systems—Apple On-Device and Apple Server—were expected to elevate user experiences across iOS, macOS, and Apple’s broader ecosystem. But human evaluators rated the On-Device model as only “comparable” to similarly-sized models from Google and Alibaba. Worse still, the more advanced Apple Server model was ranked behind OpenAI’s GPT-4o, a model already a year old. For a company that prides itself on innovation, these results reveal a troubling lag in AI advancement compared to Silicon Valley peers.
Image Analysis and Siri Delay Add to Concerns
Apple’s struggles don’t stop at text generation. Its AI’s ability to interpret images also fell short. In one key benchmark, human testers preferred the output from Meta’s Llama 4 Scout over Apple Server. That’s telling, especially since Llama 4 Scout isn’t even the top-performing model in Meta’s lineup. Compounding Apple’s AI challenges is the continued delay of its much-hyped Siri upgrade. Once positioned as a flagship AI feature, the new Siri has yet to appear, deepening user skepticism.
Apple’s AI Future: Hype vs Reality
The underwhelming performance of Apple’s upgraded AI models suggests the tech giant is still playing catch-up. While features like text summarization and on-device intelligence sound appealing on paper, their real-world utility is currently limited. Customer frustration is mounting, with some users even pursuing legal action, claiming Apple’s AI marketing outpaces its delivery. Until Apple can close the performance gap and roll out promised features, its AI reputation will remain more style than substance.
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