On Monday June 10th 2024 at the Worldwide Developer Conference in California, Apple CEO Tim Cook announced that Apple will finally be incorporating the power of AI into the new iOS 18 and macOS Sequoia through a partnership with OpenAI.
Dubbed by the company 'Apple Intelligence', the update to the operating system will be launched this Autumn (very likely alongside the new iPhone 16) and will include utilisation of OpenAI’s ChatGPT along with giving Siri a long overdue generative AI overhaul.
“We're thrilled to introduce a new chapter in Apple innovation. Apple Intelligence will transform what users can do with our products - and what our products can do for our users.” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO.
At WWDC Apple showcased its new Apple Intelligence features across various apps. One notable addition, Writing Tools, is available systemwide and enhances your text by improving grammar, readability, and adjusting the tone to be either friendlier or more professional. The new 'Image Playground' allows users to create images within apps like Messages and Notes, including AI-generated images of contacts in three distinct styles: sketch, illustration, and animation. Additionally, you can now create custom emojis using generative AI, a feature Apple has named Genmoji. Siri has also received an AI upgrade, enhancing its ability to handle complex spoken commands and improving its search capabilities, even when commands are ambiguous.
A Long Time Coming
This bold move was always on the horizon with Apple being somewhat slow to adopt AI tools compared to its competitors who have been far quicker to embrace the new technology. Samsung posted "Adding 'Apple' doesn’t make it new or groundbreaking. Welcome to AI" on X. Microsoft has been using their generative artificial intelligence chatbot Copilot since February 2023. Samsung recently launched its Galaxy AI, and of course there is Google's Gemini, positioned as a competitor to OpenAI.
Privacy Concerns
The collaboration between Apple and OpenAI has been met with mixed reactions, with Elon Musk posting on X "If Apple integrates OpenAI at the OS level, then Apple devices will be banned at my companies. That is an unacceptable security violation.".
Not only are there concerns over the data sharing with OpenAI, but we noted a rather worrying feature called 'onscreen awareness', which lets Siri access information on your phone and then act in apps on behalf of the user!
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