By T. Jayani, JadeTimes News
Apple is set to enhance its Siri voice assistant and operating systems with OpenAI's ChatGPT as it aims to catch up in the AI competition. This announcement was made during Apple's annual developers' conference on Monday, where the company introduced a revamped Siri alongside numerous other features.
This initiative is part of a new personalized AI system called "Apple Intelligence," designed to simplify navigation across Apple devices. Updates to iPhone and Mac operating systems will incorporate ChatGPT through a collaboration with OpenAI. Additionally, ChatGPT will augment tools such as text and content generation, with a test version available in the fall.
Tim Cook, Apple's CEO, stated that this development would elevate the company's products as he kicked off the Worldwide Developers Conference at Apple's Cupertino headquarters.
However, not everyone welcomed the news. Elon Musk, owner of Tesla and Twitter/X, threatened to ban iPhones from his companies due to concerns over data security. Musk criticized Apple on X, claiming that the company loses control over user data once it is handed to OpenAI.
Apple has been under pressure to introduce new AI features following the swift adoption of the technology by competitors. The company lost its title as the world's most valuable company to Microsoft in January and was surpassed by Nvidia in early June. Ben Wood, chief analyst at CCS Insight, commented that while Apple's new personal AI system might appease anxious investors, the ChatGPT integration could expose and create additional challenges for the company. He noted that this move suggests Apple is acknowledging its limitations, as ChatGPT steps in where Siri falls short.
Apple has largely stayed out of the recent surge of AI products from other tech firms. Cook assured investors in 2023 that Apple would approach AI technology cautiously, and those plans were finally unveiled on Monday.
"Apple Intelligence" is not a standalone product or app but will be integrated into every app and Apple product. It functions similarly to Microsoft's AI assistant Copilot but does not require an additional fee to activate. Siri, acquired by Apple in 2010, has been updated with a new interface and a more conversational approach to help users navigate their devices and apps more effortlessly.
During the keynote, Apple emphasized the security of Apple Intelligence, with some processing happening on the device itself and more power intensive tasks being sent to the cloud without storing data there. This is crucial for customers who value Apple's privacy commitments. Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of software engineering, highlighted that the system integrates powerful generative models at the core of Apple devices, offering personalized and private intelligence.
Apple’s decision to incorporate OpenAI’s ChatGPT technology, while anticipated, is notable for a company that traditionally closely guards its products. Google and Microsoft have faced scrutiny over errors in their AI products, with Google retracting a feature in May after incorrect answers went viral. Historically, Apple has restricted downloading apps outside of its App Store and using browsers other than Safari, only changing due to EU legislation.
This integration could signal Apple's acknowledgment of ChatGPT's current dominance in AI. Apple mentioned plans to integrate other products in the future but did not specify which ones.
Additionally, Apple announced the UK release date for its mixed reality headset, the Vision Pro, set for July 12, following its US release in February. Other new features introduced include texting via satellite, scheduling messages, using head gestures to control AirPods Pro, a dedicated cross device password app, and the ability to hide or lock certain apps behind Face ID or passcodes.