A Bloomberg report over the weekend suggested that Apple has created a new Answers, Knowledge and Information team as part of its Apple Intelligence efforts. While that might not sound like a huge deal, effectively just catching up with what others are doing, I actually think it’s about the smartest thing the company could be doing right now in terms of addressing Siri’s reputation … The continuing Siri crisis Earlier this year, Apple had to admit that plans for three new Siri features are “going to take us longer than we thought” – with no real explanation, and no new delivery date. As we noted at the time, these are the very features which promise to make Siri truly intelligent: Personal context (understanding things like “When is my mom’s flight landing?”) On-screen awareness (being able to do things like “Add this address to her contact card”) In-app actions (for example, “Make this photo pop, and add it to my Miami 2025 note”) The company also quietly deleted an iPhone 16 ad in which it promoted these features, and added new disclaimers to its website. Many criticized the company for advertising non-existent features, and even John Gruber – who Apple used to make a statement – had had enough. Apple’s Answers, Knowledge, and Information team Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman Apple formed a new team earlier this year known as Answers, Knowledge and Information. This group, I’m told, is exploring a number of in-house AI services with the goal of creating a new ChatGPT-like search experience. The team is led by Robbie Walker, the Siri exec who earlier this year called the delays “ugly and embarrassing“. Why this is a big deal Siri has been criticised as being dumb for a whole host of reasons. “ is not responding” being one among many. But as common as smart homes may be among 9to5Mac readers, they are still a relatively niche activity. The primary reason Siri is considered stupid by ordinary iPhone users is that it is woefully unable to answer many of even the simplest of questions that arise in everyday life. I just asked ChatGPT to give me examples of the typical everyday questions users ask, and here is what it said: Shopping & Services “How do I return something to John Lewis without a receipt?” “When is the best time to buy a new laptop?” “What’s the difference between AppleCare and AppleCare+?” “Is it cheaper to buy groceries online or in-store?” “How do I unsubscribe from marketing emails without getting more spam?” Cleaning & Household “How do I get red wine out of a carpet?” “What’s the best way to descale a kettle?” “Can I put aluminium foil in the dishwasher?” “How often should I change my bedsheets?” “Why does my washing machine smell musty?” Life Admin & Organisation “What documents do I need to renew my passport in the UK?” “How do I make a simple weekly meal plan?” “What’s the difference between a will and a living will?” “How can I remember to take my medication regularly?” “Can you help me organise my calendar more efficiently?” Tech Tips “How do I stop my Mac from opening apps on startup?” “What does ‘clear cache’ actually do?” “How do I find a lost phone if it’s turned off?” “Can I recover deleted photos from iCloud?” “Is it safe to use public Wi-Fi with a VPN?” Siri can answer a few of these sorts of questions. However, its hit-rate is very low compared to ChatGPT or even old-style Alexa. If Apple’s new Answers team can deliver on this, that’s a huge win ahead of the far trickier business of things like on-screen awareness and in-app actions. Bringing Siri even vaguely close to ChatGPT performance on these sorts of everyday questions will instantly transform people’s perceptions of its intelligence and usefulness. Given that this is very technically simple thing to do, it’s the very definition of a quick win for Siri. Highlighted accessories Photo by Laurin Steffens on Unsplash