Apple Inc. is surreptitiously developing artificial intelligence (AI) technology that may soon rival the likes of OpenAI Inc., Google’s Alphabet Inc., and other tech giants. However, the game plan for deploying this groundbreaking tech to consumers remains a mystery.
Inside Apple’s AI Endeavour: The “Ajax” Framework
In response to cutting-edge AI offerings like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Bard, Apple has built its own framework for large language models, known as “Ajax”. This technological base has also spurred the creation of a chatbot service internally referred to as “Apple GPT”.
This AI initiative has become a focal point for Apple, with multiple teams joining forces to bring it to life. Their work also involves mitigating any potential privacy issues that may arise with this technology.
The Impact of AI on Tech Stocks
Apple shares saw a substantial upswing, rising by 2.3% to a record-breaking $198.23 following the revelation of its AI efforts. Conversely, Microsoft Corp., the main supporter and partner of OpenAI, experienced a minor slump of 1%.
Apple’s Past AI Woes and the Promise of a New Era
The introduction of OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google Bard, and Microsoft’s Bing AI caught Apple off-guard. However, the company is looking to redeem its position in the burgeoning market of generative tools. These tools, known for creating essays, images, and videos from text prompts, have sparked consumer and business interest, instigating a wave of related product development.
Apple has been notably absent from this AI boom. Its main AI offering, the Siri voice assistant, has plateaued in recent years. Nevertheless, Apple has made notable strides in other areas such as image and search improvements on the iPhone.
The Future of Apple AI
Behind closed doors, Apple is anxious about missing a critical technological shift brought on by generative AI. This AI revolution is poised to overhaul the way people interact with phones, computers, and other devices. This has pushed Apple to lay the groundwork for AI services through the Ajax framework, leading to enhancements in search, Siri, and maps.
Apple is also investigating how generative AI could be leveraged to benefit consumers, with several initiatives currently underway. However, a concrete plan has yet to be developed. Key figures at Apple, including the head of machine learning and AI, John Giannandrea, and top software engineering executive, Craig Federighi, are at the helm of these efforts.
The company is also making strategic hires in the field of generative AI, advertising for engineers who have a “robust understanding of large language models and generative AI”.
Siri’s Potential AI Integration
Siri is an optimal candidate for Apple’s LLM technology integration. This would significantly augment the voice assistant’s capacity to perform user tasks. Despite being an early player in the AI arena, Siri has lagged behind competitors as Apple pivoted its focus to other areas and opted for privacy-conscious features.
Looking Ahead
Despite the cautious approach, the company’s CEO, Tim Cook, sees great promise in large language models while acknowledging the risk of bias and misinformation. He advocates for regulatory measures and safeguards in the AI space.
Furthermore, Apple is preparing to launch a health coaching service codenamed Quartz. Powered by AI and data from the Apple Watch, this service will offer personalized plans to users. It’s clear that while Apple might have been a late bloomer in the AI race, it is gearing up to leave a significant mark.
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