Apple CEO Tim Cook has personally joined discussions with the European Union as the company tries to break a deadlock over the launch of Siri AI in Europe.
According to the European Commission, Cook and Executive Vice President Henna Virkkunen held a virtual meeting this week that resulted in what both sides described as a "constructive exchange on topics of common interest, on which the work continues," the Financial Times reported.
The talks come just weeks after Apple confirmed that Siri AI will not launch on iPhones and iPads in the European Union alongside iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 because of disagreements over the bloc's Digital Markets Act (DMA).
Why Siri AI is delayed in Europe
Apple says the DMA, as interpreted by EU regulators, would require Siri AI to give competing virtual assistants deep access to user data and system functions before the company believes sufficient privacy protections are in place.
In a statement published after unveiling Siri AI, Craig Federighi said, "We're deeply disappointed that our EU users won't have Siri AI on iPhone or iPad when we share our new software releases later this year."
Federighi added, "Our hope is to eventually bring Siri AI to the EU, and we will continue to engage with EU regulators on a path forward. However, their refusal to engage constructively on solutions that preserve privacy and security means we do not currently have a timeline for Siri AI's availability on iOS and iPadOS in the EU."
Apple argues it proposed multiple solutions, including a security layer called Trusted System Agent, which it says would allow third-party assistants to access Siri-like capabilities without exposing users' private information. The company also proposed an 18-month transition period while building that system, but says the European Commission rejected its proposals.
The EU disputes Apple's account
European regulators have pushed back on Apple's characterization of events.
According to FT and Reuters, Commission officials argue Apple was seeking a delay to its interoperability obligations rather than presenting a complete technical solution that complies with the DMA. Officials also maintain that nothing in the law prevents Apple from releasing new products in Europe if they meet the required standards.
The latest meeting appears aimed at finding a path that allows Apple to introduce Siri AI without exposing the company to potentially significant DMA penalties.
Why this matters
Cook's direct involvement suggests Apple considers the Siri AI dispute strategically important, both for its AI roadmap and its relationship with European regulators. While both sides described the latest discussions as "constructive," neither announced a breakthrough nor outlined a timeline for resolving the impasse.
Siri AI represents one of Apple's biggest AI initiatives in years. The upgraded assistant is designed to compete more directly with AI chatbots such as OpenAI's ChatGPT and Anthropic's Claude by handling more natural conversations and performing actions across apps using personal context.
For European users, the delay means they will miss several headline features arriving later this year on iPhone and iPad, including conversation history, expanded Visual Intelligence, integrated writing tools, and new camera-related Siri capabilities. Apple has confirmed Siri AI will still be available in the EU on macOS 27 and visionOS 27, while watchOS support also remains affected because it depends on a paired iPhone.
The dispute also extends beyond consumers. Developers in the EU will not be able to test or integrate Siri AI features into iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch apps until the regulatory issues are resolved.
For now, the meeting signals that negotiations remain active, but European iPhone and iPad users are still waiting for clarity on when, or under what conditions, Apple's flagship AI assistant will arrive.
Also read: Want to know where Apple’s AI is headed next? Read our coverage of the rumored iPhone 18 RAM upgrade and what it could mean for future Apple Intelligence features.