Apple's Siri AI faces new regulatory and legal challenges

Apple's historical walled-garden approach to its ecosystem is now being mirrored in its AI strategy, leading to fresh battles over regulation and data privacy. The article reflects on how past legal precedents are shaping the current conflict around Siri AI.

The article traces how Apple's fortress-like control over its App Store—single distribution channel, no sideloading, 15-30% commissions, and bans on alternative browsers and payment methods—has now migrated to its AI strategy. Legal precedents including Epic Games v. Apple, the EU's Digital Markets Act, and the US Department of Justice's 2024 antitrust case have all chipped away at that fortress over the past decade.

In response to the Digital Markets Act, Apple introduced a Core Technology Fee, which the EU Commission has preliminarily found also breaches the act. The article suggests Apple's June 2024 feature delays were part of this same playbook, and Siri AI now faces similar regulatory and legal scrutiny over data privacy and control, with the EU increasingly shaping Apple's decisions.