Apple CEO Tim Cook held a virtual meeting with European Commission executive vice president Henna Virkkunen to break the deadlock over Siri AI's delayed European launch. An EU spokesperson described the talks as a constructive exchange, though neither side disclosed concrete progress toward resolving the impasse that has blocked the feature from iOS 27 and iPadOS 27.

The standoff erupted after Apple's WWDC announcement that Digital Markets Act requirements would prevent Siri AI from reaching EU users. Apple claimed regulators rejected its Trusted System Agent proposal — an intermediary designed to let rival assistants access Siri AI capabilities — along with an 18-month transition period. The Commission countered that nothing in the DMA bars new products, arguing Apple simply failed to build interoperability meeting EU privacy standards.

Today's meeting focused on how Apple can deploy its revamped assistant while avoiding millions in potential fines for DMA violations. Cook's direct involvement underscores how central Siri AI has become to Apple's software strategy, even after stepping down as CEO. His recent Wall Street Journal interview on memory shortages similarly signaled a willingness to engage political leadership on operational pressures.

The negotiations suggest Apple may be more motivated to compromise than its public rhetoric indicated. With Siri AI anchored to this fall's flagship releases, both sides face pressure to produce a workable framework before September.