If you ask Siri what zero divided by zero equals, you’re bound to get a silly answer. IPhone’s notorious artificial intelligence assistant is known for giving roundabout answers to the simplest of users’ questions.
But when it comes to Caitlyn Jenner, the iPhone’s AI will give it to you straight.
As parent to the famous Kardashian siblings and former Olympic medalist, Caitlyn is no stranger to the spotlight. But 2015 has brought Jenner a brand new kind of fame.
In an interview with Diane Sawyer this April, Jenner officially announced that she was a woman. Only months later, she was featured on the cover of Vanity Fair and soon after, awarded ESPN’s Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the annual ESPY Awards.
Making a public transition is a difficult and courageous feat for any transgender individual. In her ESPY Award acceptance speech, Jenner thanked the audience for their continual support, and concluded with a call to action.
“Trans people deserve something vital. They deserve your respect,” says Jenner. “And from that respect comes a more compassionate community, and a better world for all of us.”
Yet many people are still referring to Caitlyn as “Bruce” and with the “he” pronoun.
Siri, however, doesn’t seem to feel any confusion or reservations on the manner.
If asked “What is Caitlyn Jenner’s real name?”, Siri will answer “Caitlyn Jenner’s real name is Caitlyn Jenner.” And if asked what gender Caitlyn Jenner is, Siri will respond accordingly.
With over 50% of all searches being conducted via smartphones and mobile device, this means that millions of iPhone users are accessing information via Siri’s search engine capabilities.
However, this new feature is not entirely perfect. If you ask the AI about Jenner’s Olympic achievements, for example, Siri is not able to fully disambiguate, and instead will offer a litany of articles on “Bruce’s past athletic achievements.
Nevertheless, the new Siri feature is an affirming glimpse at America’s growing acceptance of transgender people and narratives.