AI from Apple: Familiar scenes emerge once more.
Recently at the annual Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple offered CNN a sneak peek into some of the AI-driven capabilities set to debut on the iPhone, iPad, and Mac later this year, indicating a new era for the tech giant. While some advancements reflect Apple's innovative spirit, others merely catch up with existing features in the market.
The most significant update is a significantly improved Siri, an intelligent chatbot with an inconsistent history. Despite its shortcomings, Apple's virtual assistant is set to become more trustworthy and personalized. However, other AI tools have a familiar ring to them, as some resemble existing services like Grammarly or Google's Magic Eraser.
Apple's secret weapon is its "Apple Intelligence," a versatile system that can correct typos in emails, adjust the tone of a draft, remove distractions in pictures, and generate images from sketches. It's the company's attempt to leapfrog the competition and showcase what it's been working on for years behind closed doors.
Apple is known for executing innovation slowly yet meticulously, often adopting emerging tech only after extensive research and development. But the swift uptake of generative AI may have spurred Apple to include this technology in its devices, allowing it to maintain the leaps others have made.
Tailoring to power users
Only the latest Apple devices—the iPhone 15 Pro and Macs with M1, M2, or M3 processors—will support these novel AI capabilities, potentially swaying users to upgrade their equipment. The introduction comes at a time when consumers are sticking to their older phones and computers longer.
Throughout the demo, Apple underlined that most of the new AI tools are fueled by Apple Intelligence. The company's partnership with OpenAI, ChatGPT's originator, is reserved for select scenarios.
By demonstrating how AI writing tools optimize emails, they reduce fumbling over typos or grammar issues and rework wording to ensure that your message is received as intended—be it a formal or casual tone. In the Notes app, Siri can summarize a conversation or provide helpful reminders. In Photos, you can remove unwanted elements from pictures, such as an extraneous person or object.
Apple also showcased creating personalized images like a fireworks display over the Golden Gate Bridge, offering unconventional ways of communication that elevate everyday messaging. Genmoji, an AI-powered custom emoji service using your image and various backgrounds, adds flair and creativity to texting.
While Apple may not have been the first to incorporate AI-driven features, it's clear that they've taken a substantial step forward by supercharging Siri. In the demo, a representative requested setting an alarm for 5:30 am, then changed it to 5:45 am, and even Siri adapted seamlessly.
In iMessage, Siri gains a profound contextual understanding of conversations, providing relevant information and answers. For instance, you can inquire about Roger Federer's tournament wins without mentioning him, allowing Siri to recognizes the person being discussed.
OpenAI's ChatGPT integration is initially limited, as Siri would ask your permission to use the service in specific instances. Some analysts foresee Apple refining its internal technology while using ChatGPT to bridge any knowledge gaps for the time being. This arrangement could reduce potential risks related to the technology's implementation.
In an era of rapid change, generative AI's growth raises concerns about misinformation, bias, copyright, privacy, security, and more. In response, Apple emphasized its commitment to privacy and security, ensuring a majority of AI functions are processed locally rather than on servers.
Although the market's reaction was relatively subdued during Monday's announcement, Apple's shares soared over 7% on Tuesday, as investors embraced the company's cautious approach to AI.
Despite being just Apple's initial moves into what large technology companies eagerly anticipate could be a groundbreaking new era, it now stands ready to join the expanding AI battle.
Read also:
In the demo, Apple's new AI-driven tools, such as the improved Siri and "Apple Intelligence," were shown to be capable of handling tasks like correcting typos in emails and generating personalized images, showcasing Apple's commitment to leveraging advanced tech in its business operations.
Apple's integration of AI in its tech products not only allows it to stay competitive in the tech industry but also enhances the user experience, as seen with Siri's ability to adapt to changing alarm times and understand conversation contexts.
