Apple Races to Catch Up in AI Development, Plans Revolutionary Siri Upgrade
Apple, the tech giant known for its innovative products, is racing to catch up in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) development. With the rapid advancement of AI tools like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Apple has been taken by surprise and is now making swift moves to develop competitive features for its devices.
At its recent developer conference, Apple focused on machine learning, which will be integrated into many of its products. For instance, the upcoming iOS 17 will feature an improved autocorrect system based on a language model. Additionally, Apple unveiled Apple Vision Pro, a computer vision technology that showcases the company’s commitment to AI.
Despite Apple’s confident messaging at the conference, Bloomberg’s Apple correspondent Mark Gurman reports that there is truth to the perception that Apple has been lagging in AI development. According to insider information, Apple was caught off guard by the industry’s sudden emphasis on AI and has been working diligently to catch up since late last year. The company reportedly feels it has missed out on a crucial opportunity and there is a significant level of anxiety internally.
Even Siri, Apple’s virtual assistant, has not yet benefited from the recent advancements in generative AI. This is surprising considering ChatGPT’s latest audio features, which could greatly enhance Siri’s capabilities. However, Apple’s senior vice presidents of AI and software engineering, John Giannandrea and Craig Federighi, along with Eddy Cue, head of services, are leading the charge in integrating AI into Apple’s ecosystem. They have a combined annual budget of $1 billion, although it may seem modest compared to the investments made by other tech giants like Microsoft, OpenAI, and Google.
Giannandrea’s team is primarily focused on developing novel AI technology and improving Siri’s intelligence. While an improved version of Siri is expected to be released next year, the technology is still in its nascent stages, and safety concerns remain.
Federighi’s software development group is working on integrating AI into the next iteration of iOS, aiming to incorporate features based on Apple’s large language model (LLM). On the other hand, Cue’s team is exploring opportunities to leverage AI in various applications to enhance user experiences.
Apple is also considering integrating generative AI into its development tools like Xcode, which could expedite the app development process. This move would align Apple’s services with Microsoft’s GitHub Copilot, which provides automatic code completion suggestions to developers.
Furthermore, Apple’s productivity apps, such as Pages and Keynote, could benefit from AI-powered features. For instance, AI could help with writing assistance in Pages or automatically generate slide presentations in Keynote, similar to features offered by Microsoft Word and PowerPoint.
The potential applications for generative AI extend beyond development and productivity tools. Apple is exploring the integration of AI in its internal customer service tools within the AppleCare Group. This would enhance the efficiency and responsiveness of Apple’s customer service, ultimately improving the overall user experience.
Internally, there is an ongoing debate on the deployment of generative AI. Apple is considering an on-device approach to maintain its commitment to privacy. However, cloud-based solutions offer more flexibility, which is advantageous in the rapidly evolving AI landscape. A combination of both approaches is likely to be pursued.
According to earlier reports, Apple has already been using a language model called Apple GPT internally for text summarization, prototyping, and answering questions based on trained data. The model, based on the Ajax framework, is said to be more capable than OpenAI’s GPT-3.5, with over 200 billion parameters. Users can expect more accurate voice commands for iPhones as the model is integrated.
Apple plans to introduce a voice feature that allows users to send GIFs via voice command using the Shortcut app, set to be included in a future iOS update.
As Apple strives to catch up in AI development, its commitment to delivering transformative AI features, especially in Siri, remains strong. With its formidable team and dedicated budget, Apple aims to revolutionize the AI landscape and provide users with a more intelligent and seamless experience.
