🍜 Apple’s Siri makeover..

Welcome, Noodle Networkers.

Apple’s big Siri makeover is hitting delays and internal shake-ups 🍏—because apparently making her smarter is harder than making her say “I’m not sure I understand” in 47 different tones. At this rate, Siri 2.0 might arrive just in time for the iPhone 26. Meanwhile, the AI funding boom is feeling a little queasy 💸. With tariff fears creeping in and a few too many “totally legit” startups raising red flags, VCs are starting to ask pesky questions like, “Do you actually have a product?” and “Why does your office only exist in the metaverse?” And an AI startup is helping Uber and Salesforce cut costs with automation 🤖. Great news for efficiency, less great if your job involves anything a robot can do with zero coffee breaks and 100% compliance.

Is this the AI glow-up we were promised, or just another day of chaos in the Silicon Valley simulator? Let’s get into it...

In today’s AI digest:

• Apple’s Siri AI makeover faces delays and internal shake-ups 🍏

• Tariff fears and fraud concerns threaten AI funding boom 💸

• AI startup helps Uber and Salesforce cut costs with automation 🤖

Read time: 5 minutes

WHAT’S HAPPENING TODAY

$AAPL ( ▼ 0.22% ) 

Apple’s Siri AI makeover faces delays and internal shake-ups 🍏

(source: TheInformation)

The Digest: Siri’s long-overdue AI glow-up has hit a few bumps—by which we mean full-blown internal chaos and missed deadlines. Apple was hoping to transform Siri from “kind of helpful” to “actually smart,” but the only thing it’s nailed so far is reminding everyone how hard AI really is. Project delays, leadership reshuffles, and some seriously buggy responses have Apple scrambling like Siri hearing “Hey…” and responding three seconds later with, “Sorry, I didn’t get that.”

Key Details:

👔 Leadership Musical Chairs – Mike Rockwell (formerly Vision Pro lead) is now in charge of Siri, because clearly, if you can build an expensive AR headset, you can definitely fix a confused digital assistant. Meanwhile, former AI chief John Giannandrea is still around but got… gently sidelined. Probably with a very polite Apple-caliber calendar invite.

🐞 Bugapalooza – Siri’s new AI features were so buggy, even Apple execs reportedly called the situation “ugly” and “embarrassing.” In one internal test, Siri gave incorrect answers one-third of the time, which—fun fact—is also the same rate as your friend Dave guessing movie trivia.

📱 Delays, Naturally – The revamped Siri was set to debut in iOS 18.4, but now it’s been bumped to 18.5, with some features possibly delayed into 2026. At this rate, Siri might get a personality upgrade around the same time we get flying cars.

📉 Under Pressure – With Google and Amazon rolling out snappy, emotionally-aware AI assistants, Apple’s playing catch-up—but with a Siri that still struggles to set a timer without thinking it’s being attacked.

Why It Matters: Apple’s Siri upgrade was supposed to usher in a new era of intelligent assistants. Instead, it’s currently in the “Oops, try again later” era. Still, give it time—because if anyone can make you believe a delayed AI assistant is a feature, it’s Apple.

AI fraud

Tariff fears and fraud concerns threaten AI funding boom 💸

(source: Bloomberg)

The Digest: AI startups might’ve been printing money like ChatGPT spits out essays—until now. With tariff tensions rising and fraud cases sounding like sci-fi thrillers, the once-unshakable AI funding boom is starting to look a little... shaky. Investors are sweating, startups are second-guessing, and somewhere, a VC is whispering “pivot to blockchain” just to feel something again.

Key Details:

🚫 Tariffs vs. Tech Bros – Trump’s new 54% tariffs on Chinese imports could send electronics prices soaring—which is bad news for AI startups that need GPUs, not vibes, to train models. If chips cost any more, startups might have to take out mortgages to buy graphics cards.

🎭 Fraud Gets a Glow-Up – Scammers are now using deepfakes and synthetic businesses to trick companies—like that one that cost British firm Arup $25 million when they fell for a fake CFO Zoom call. Yes, the AI was realistic enough to steal a quarter of your budget and still say “have a great weekend.”

📉 Investors: Cold Feet Season – With 74% of Americans convinced AI is a scam generator, investors are nervously clutching their portfolios. It’s hard to raise your next round when everyone thinks your Series A might come with a side of identity theft.

📊 ETF Mood Check: Yikes – Funds like QQQ and XLK are feeling the pressure too—aka the stock market equivalent of “It’s fine 😅” while your tech-heavy portfolio is down three espresso shots and a prayer.

Why It Matters: AI's explosive growth was bound to hit a few speed bumps, but tariffs and deepfake CFOs weren’t exactly in the business plan. If this keeps up, we might see a shift from “move fast and break things” to “move cautiously and check if that Zoom call is real.”

$UBER ( ▲ 1.12% ) $CRM ( ▼ 0.49% ) 

AI startup helps Uber and Salesforce cut costs with automation 🤖

(source: Forbes)

The Digest: Uber and Salesforce are cutting costs the 2025 way—by hiring AI instead of more humans. Thanks to a sharp AI startup, both companies are now automating tasks faster than you can say “Do we really need Brenda from accounting?” It’s efficiency on steroids, minus the HR complaints and mid-afternoon snack breaks.

Key Details:

🤖 AI Is the New Overachiever – The startup’s automation tools are replacing boring tasks like data entry and ticket sorting—aka the soul-draining stuff your last intern barely tolerated. Only difference? The AI doesn’t fake sick on Mondays.

🚗 Uber Gets an Upgrade – Uber’s using the tech to optimize ride allocation and support systems. Translation: fewer customer complaints, more 5-star ratings, and maybe one less “Where’s my driver?” meltdown per hour.

📈 Salesforce Gets Spooky Smart – Over at Salesforce, the AI is helping predict customer needs before they even click. Your CRM might now know you’re about to churn before you do. Creepy? Yes. Effective? Also yes.

🧾 Bye-Bye, Busywork – The AI doesn’t take coffee breaks, doesn’t ask for raises, and works 24/7—kind of like your most committed employee, but with 100% fewer motivational quotes in their email signature.

Why It Matters: AI isn’t just for chatbots anymore—it’s now the CFO’s new favorite employee. Companies like Uber and Salesforce are proving that automation isn’t just about trimming costs—it’s about getting things done without chasing Steve for the third time this week.

THE NOODLE LAB

AI Hacks & How-Tos

Control Your Smart Home with Google Gemini 🏠

The Digest: Google Gemini now integrates with Google Home, allowing you to manage smart home devices using natural language commands directly within the Gemini app. This feature supports controlling lights, thermostats, speakers, and more, enhancing your smart home experience. ​

How-to:

1. Install and Set Up:

   • Download the Gemini app on your Android or iOS device.​

   • Sign in with the Google account linked to your Google Home setup.​

2. Enable Google Home Extension:

   • Open the Gemini app and tap your profile avatar.​

   • Navigate to Extensions and toggle on Google Home.​

   • Follow the prompts to connect your smart home devices. ​

3. Control Devices with Natural Language:

   • Use conversational commands like:​

     • “Turn off the living room lights.”

     • “Set the thermostat to 22 degrees.”

     • “Play jazz music in the kitchen.”

   • Gemini can handle multiple requests in one command, such as:​

     • “Dim the bedroom lights and turn on the fan.”

4. Manage from Lock Screen:

   • Control non-sensitive devices like lights directly from your phone's lock screen.​

   • For security-related actions (e.g., unlocking doors), Gemini will prompt you to use the Google Home app.

Explore More: Use Follow-up Mode to dive deeper into a specific industry and fine-tune your niche selection. We just covered AI-powered niche discovery in a workshop—access it at the top of this email! 🚀

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