Apple is making significant strides in the realm of generative AI, with a new and improved Siri and AI integration into various applications expected to launch next year, according to Bloomberg’s tech analyst Mark Gurman.
Despite Apple’s long standing work on generative Artificial Intelligence, the company’s executives found themselves somewhat surprised by the sudden surge of interest in AI across the industry. As a result, they’ve been actively working to catch up since late last year.
Apple’s senior vice president of machine learning and AI strategy, John Giannandrea, and senior vice president of software engineering, Craig Federighi, are spearheading the company’s AI initiatives. Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of services, is also contributing to this endeavour.
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Giannandrea’s team is currently focused on developing the foundational technologies for a new AI system, with one of the standout projects being a “smarter version of Siri.” This upgraded Siri is expected to be deeply intertwined with AI capabilities and could be ready for release as soon as next year.
Federighi, on the other hand, is overseeing the integration of AI into the next major iteration of iOS. This integration involves deploying features powered by Apple’s large language model (LLM). One of the most notable enhancements is an improved interaction between Siri and the Messages app, which will empower users to handle complex queries and compose sentences more efficiently. Federighi’s team is also exploring the integration of AI into Xcode, a move aimed at assisting developers in writing code more swiftly, akin to services like Microsoft’s GitHub Copilot.
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Meanwhile, Eddy Cue is focused on incorporating AI into as many Apple applications as possible. This includes enhancing features in Apple Music, such as the creation of auto-generated playlists, and optimising productivity apps like Pages and Keynote, where AI can aid in tasks like writing and slide deck creation. Furthermore, Apple is reportedly experimenting with the use of generative AI for internal customer service applications within AppleCare.
Apple appears committed to a substantial investment in AI, with plans to allocate $1 billion annually to AI research. One significant debate within the company revolves around the deployment of generative AI – whether it should be a fully on-device experience, operate in a cloud-based setup, or adopt a hybrid approach. This decision is a matter of ongoing internal deliberation.
Mark Gurman previously reported that Apple is also working on a chatbot tool, informally referred to as “Apple GPT,” aimed at competing with OpenAI’s ChatGPT. This development further underscores Apple’s commitment to staying at the forefront of AI innovation.
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