Siri, Apple’s iconic virtual assistant, sometimes misses the mark in hilariously obvious ways. Despite her capabilities, Siri has a long list of failures that make you wonder how much she really knows. Here’s a roundup of some of her most memorable moments where she wasn’t exactly the sharpest apple in the bunch.
1. “Who is the best football player?”
A user asked Siri who the best football player is. The response? “I don’t have an opinion on the best football player.” While it’s true that Siri can be diplomatic, we expect a little more clarity on what a football player is. A quick search could have told her it was a question people often ask, and she could’ve provided an answer based on popular opinion or facts like Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo. But instead, Siri gave a wishy-washy response, missing an opportunity to be more helpful.
2. “Human Seed”
Attempting to add “cumin seed” to a shopping list, a user found that Siri repeatedly added “human seed” instead. Despite trying different pronunciations like “cue-min” and “coo-min,” Siri’s interpretations remained hilariously off-target.
3. “How many days are in a year?”
When asked how many days are in a year, Siri answered, “365, except for Leap Year, when it’s 366.” Seems accurate, right? But the failure comes when you follow it up with a simple “How many days are in a Leap Year?” Siri’s response? “366 days in a Leap Year.” Wait a minute… You just told me that! The flaw here lies in the lack of depth or context. Siri is clearly capable of memorizing facts, but when asked to go beyond surface-level knowledge, she hits a wall. And these days, it seems she can’t even tell what month it is.
4. Unwanted Check-In Suggestions
A recent feature led Siri to suggest users set up Check-In notifications with contacts. However, some found Siri prompting them to check in with ex-partners or distant acquaintances, leading to awkward situations for some. One user accidentally initiated a check-in with an ex, and that conversation could only have gone downhill.
5. “What’s the meaning of life?”
Ask a profound philosophical question like, “What’s the meaning of life?” and many people expect a thought-provoking response. Siri, though, offered her interpretation with “42.” This number is, of course, a reference to Douglas Adams’ The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, but it left many users scratching their heads. It’s fun, sure, but not particularly insightful. At least she didn’t try to claim the meaning of life was “to be happy,” a failure that would have been equally predictable.
6. “What is the best smartphone?”
One would expect Siri to know the competition, right? After all, she’s Apple’s virtual assistant. But when asked, “What is the best smartphone?” Siri replied, “The best smartphone is the one that meets your needs.” That’s a good non-answer that manages to avoid brand loyalty issues, but it’s a huge letdown for those looking for something less ambiguous.
7. “Tell me a joke.”
Siri’s sense of humor can be hit or miss, and she often resorts to dad jokes. One user asked, “Tell me a joke,” and Siri replied, “Why don’t skeletons fight each other? They don’t have the guts.” The delivery was classic Siri, but if you were hoping for something a little more clever or original, this won’t cut it.
8. “Yoda Play”
While watching a Minecraft video, a user asked Siri, “Is there a link so I can play it?” Siri misheard this as “Yoda Play” and subsequently started playing “Yoda” by Weird Al Yankovic. Everyone (including me) loves a good beat once in a while, but that was not what was requested on this occasion.
9. “Do you love me?”
And then, there’s the emotional side of Siri, where things go awry. When asked, “Do you love me?” Siri usually answers, “I’m not capable of love, but I am here to help.” This is understandable since Siri is a machine, but it falls short when expecting something more amusing or quirky, like, “I’m more into Apple devices than people.”
Siri, being a software entity, lacks a gender. Please revise your headline accordingly.