Apple made a significant announcement at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in Cupertino, California, marking its official entry into the AI business. While it was widely anticipated that Apple would unveil a range of AI features, CEO Tim Cook surprised everyone by announcing a partnership with OpenAI for ChatGPT, in addition to introducing the “Apple Intelligence” suite of new on-device processing AI-powered features.
Craig Federighi, Apple’s Senior VP of Software Engineering, emphasized the importance of privacy in this announcement, stating that “Apple Intelligence integrates AI models directly into your iPhone, iPad, and Mac, ensuring the protection of your privacy at every stage.”
The latest software for this devices will include these AI features, enabling users to summarize text and generate personalized content, such as animations for sending birthday wishes to friends.
The incorporation of AI into Siri, the voice assistant, garnered the most attention. The collaboration aims to enhance Siri by transforming it into a chatbot and enabling it to execute numerous new functions.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman conveyed his excitement for the collaboration through a post on social media, expressing his delight in partnering with Apple to incorporate ChatGPT into its offerings.
This signifies a significant moment for the technology behemoth as it strives to keep pace with rivals in the AI competition.
The company’s much-anticipated venture into the realm of artificial intelligence (AI) is not entirely novel. The company has been incorporating AI and machine learning into its products for quite some time, with Siri being a prominent example.
However, in the current AI boom, Apple, one of the world’s most valuable companies, has been perceived as somewhat late to the game. While its major competitor Microsoft swiftly released its own Gen AI Bard (now Gemini) chatbot in response to the ChatGPT explosion, Apple seemed hesitant to join the race and instead announced its Apple Vision headset in 2023.
Nevertheless, Apple’s acquisition of Canadian AI startup DarwinAI in March 2024 signaled a renewed focus on AI. DarwinAI specializes in optimizing AI applications and has collaborated with major companies like Intel and Lockheed Martin. This acquisition has strengthened this company’s AI division, with key personnel from DarwinAI joining the company.
Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook, has acknowledged the transformative potential of generative AI, emphasizing its ability to unlock new opportunities for productivity and problem-solving. The recent announcement to integrate generative AI into Apple’s products reflects a consumer-oriented approach, aiming to enhance user experience and maintain a competitive edge.
Apple’s partnership with OpenAI is part of a broader trend among tech giants seeking to collaborate with startups to accelerate their own AI ambitions. Microsoft, for example, has a longstanding relationship with OpenAI, investing billions to commercialize advanced AI technologies. This collaboration has led to significant advancements, such as the development of AI supercomputing infrastructure and the deployment of models like ChatGPT and DALL·E 2 on Microsoft’s Azure platform.
Similarly, PwC has entered into an extensive agreement with OpenAI, becoming the largest user and first official reseller of ChatGPT Enterprise. This partnership aims to integrate AI into PwC’s operations, boosting productivity and providing tailored AI solutions to clients.
The company’s AI strategy, despite being a late entrant, places a strong emphasis on personalization and privacy, which are significant concerns associated with the use of AI. This commitment to safeguarding user data is a fundamental principle that Apple consistently emphasizes across all its products.
Although the announcement did not entirely satisfy investors, resulting in a decline of nearly 2% in Apple shares, it clearly indicates that the tech giant recognizes the need to embrace AI or risk falling behind in the competitive AI landscape.
