Apple, renowned for its innovative products, is making significant strides in the world of artificial intelligence (AI), according to a recent report by Bloomberg News.
The company is working on creating large language models (LLMs) akin to OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Bard, which has sparked investor enthusiasm, propelling Apple’s shares up by 2 percent to a record high.
Despite being a major player in the technology landscape, Apple has, until now, avoided making big moves in AI. The company did not even mention the buzzword at its developer conference in June, setting it apart from competitors like Alphabet and Microsoft, which have eagerly embraced AI technology.
In contrast, Apple has subtly incorporated advanced AI features in some of its products, such as Apple Photos and on-device texting. Additionally, the company recently launched its mixed-reality headset, Vision Pro, which also integrates AI capabilities. Nonetheless, analysts argue that Apple is lagging behind its peers in fully harnessing the potential of this groundbreaking technology.
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The Challenge with Siri
One area where Apple has encountered challenges is its voice assistant, Siri. Over the years, Siri’s progress has stagnated, leading to criticism from users and industry experts alike. However, the recent AI efforts at Apple could potentially revitalize Siri and transform it into a more sophisticated and powerful virtual assistant.
To bolster its AI endeavors, Apple has developed its own framework called Ajax. This framework serves as the foundation for creating large language models, similar to the ones employed by OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Bard. The decision to build Ajax in-house demonstrates Apple’s commitment to control the development process and protect its intellectual property.
Introducing “Apple GPT”: A Chatbot in the Making
Within Apple’s AI initiative, the company is actively testing a chatbot that has been informally named “Apple GPT” by its development team. This chatbot, based on the principles of AI language models, aims to summarize text and respond to questions using the knowledge it has acquired through training. Employees familiar with the tool describe it as resembling both Bard and ChatGPT, and it functions as a web application.
Apple’s foray into AI is led by John Giannandrea, the company’s head of machine learning and AI, and Craig Federighi, Apple’s top software engineering executive. Both figures play pivotal roles in overseeing the various teams that contribute to the ongoing AI research and development efforts.
Internal Use and Plans for the Future
At present, Apple’s AI tools, including the “Apple GPT” chatbot, are primarily being used for internal product prototyping purposes. While there is currently no concrete plan for their public release or integration into existing products, sources suggest that Apple aims to make a significant AI-related announcement next year. This potential announcement indicates Apple’s commitment to establishing a robust presence in the AI landscape, allowing it to compete more effectively with tech giants like Google and Microsoft.
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Market Impact
The news of Apple’s AI developments has not gone unnoticed in the tech sector. Following Bloomberg’s report, shares of Microsoft, Nvidia, and Alphabet experienced a dip of over 1 percent, reflecting the market’s recognition of Apple’s growing interest in AI technology.
As the race to dominate the AI space intensifies, Apple has taken significant strides by venturing into the development of AI language models. The company’s proprietary framework, Ajax, and the “Apple GPT” chatbot represent important milestones in its AI journey. While Apple has been relatively reserved in its approach to AI compared to its competitors, these recent efforts indicate that the tech giant is determined to establish its foothold in the AI landscape and potentially reshape the future of virtual assistants and language processing technology. With a rumored significant AI-related announcement on the horizon, the industry eagerly awaits to see how Apple’s foray into AI will unfold and impact the broader technology landscape.
