As artificial intelligence chatbots like ChatGPT take the world by storm, Apple has found itself behind the curve. But that may change soon, according to a new report by journalist Mark Gurman.
In his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman claims Apple executives were caught off guard by the sudden explosion of interest in AI last year. Since then, they have been working furiously to make up for lost time.
At the heart of Apple’s AI push is a large language model reportedly codenamed Ajax. While details are scarce, Gurman says Apple has been developing its own AI chatbot similar to ChatGPT. This advanced natural language processing could make its way into a wide range of Apple products and services.
One major focus is overhauling Siri, the company’s digital assistant. Apple hopes to deeply integrate generative content creation abilities into Siri, potentially helping it catch up to smarter rivals like Google Assistant. The new Siri could arrive as early as next year, but concerns over the technology’s reliability may delay the rollout.
Other Apple apps like Pages, Keynote, Music, and Xcode could also gain AI-powered features. For example, generative algorithms could help automatically generate content like playlists, presentations, and even app code.
Apple is even weaving AI into future operating systems like iOS 18. According to Gurman, new OS abilities will improve how Siri and Messages can understand queries and auto-complete sentences.
However, Apple faces internal debates on how exactly to implement the new technology. While advanced cloud-based AI could enable cutting-edge features, it raises potential privacy concerns. Apple may opt for a hybrid approach, using both on-device and cloud processing.
It’s clear Apple recognizes the need to quickly match competitors’ AI capabilities. But with development still ongoing, it remains uncertain when exactly we’ll see the fruits of Apple’s AI labors. The next couple of years will be pivotal as the tech giant races to close the artificial intelligence gap.
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