Apple’s Siri AI test reportedly hit a snag as the company imposed strict limits on banking, financial and health apps to avoid repeating embarrassing mistakes.
Apple is currently testing the promised Siri AI features with its own apps and a few popular third-party apps like YouTube and Uber. However, the test seems to be a disaster as Apple is considering enforcing crippling limits on banking and health apps to avoid further mishaps.
Mark Gurman wrote in the latest edition of his Power On newsletter for Bloomberg the new features will let you control apps using your voice beyond launching them and triggering automations in the Shortcuts app, which you can already do today.
Siri AI won’t let you control banking and health apps
Apple has delayed the Siri AI features it previewed at the WWDC in June 2024 until 2026 because the underlying technology doesn’t work well enough. Siri is supposed to get more personal by analyzing data in your messages, emails and so forth to answer questions like when your Mom’s flight might be arriving, and queries to recall past interactions and context, such as “What’s the name of the guy I met that time?”
The promised features rely on an upgraded App Intents system that’s supposed to allow Siri to access various controls in apps and chain them together to resolve complex queries, such as editing a photo and sharing it with specific people, all without touching the device screen.
Gurman writes:
Here’s what the new App Intents will mean: With nothing but your voice, you’ll be able to tell Siri to find a specific photo, edit it and send it off. Or comment on an Instagram post. Or scroll a shopping app and add something to your cart. Or log in to a service without touching the screen. Essentially, Siri could operate your apps like you would — with precision, inside their own interfaces.
However, Apple is reportedly considering limiting or disabling Siri voice control in banking and health apps. This doesn’t bode well for Siri’s promised capabilities. If anything, this implies that testing data shows the whole system is still prone to too many errors and mistakes. That said, the company is probably wise to disable these features in critical software such as banking, fintech and health apps.
Siri still can’t get it right
After all, nobody wants Siri to mix up their bank balance with their pizza order. Imagine telling Siri to “transfer $500 to my savings,” only for it to send that money to the local pizza joint instead. These kinds of errors might be amusing in theory, but in real life, they could cause serious headaches—or worse.
So while Apple’s hesitation is frustrating for anyone who has been impressed with Apple’s demo, it’s probably a smart move to keep Siri’s ambitions in check until the tech gets a lot more reliable.
Gurman says Apple’s been testing an upgraded App Intents system with its own apps and a series of popular third-party apps like Amazon, AllTrails, Threads, Temu, Amazon, YouTube, Facebook, WhatsApp Uber and others, plus some selected games.
According to Apple, “Siri’s personal context understanding, onscreen awareness and in-app actions are in development and will be available with a future software update.” Apple’s boss Tim Cook said on a recent earnings call with Wall Street analysts and investors that his company was making “good progress” on these features, saying they’re on track to launch next year.
According to Gurman, Siri’s AI overhaul will arrive for iPhone, iPad, Mac and Vision Pro owners in the United States as part of the iOS 26.4, iPadOS 26.4, macOS 26.4 and visionOS 26.4 software updates in March or April of next year. The new features would also require support from third-party apps, which will need to be updated to work with Siri. The new features would roll out to other countries later in 2026.