This year, Apple is entering the AI race with the deployment of Apple Intelligence, a series of features based on generative AI which is gradually arriving on compatible products. However, if you were expecting a competitor to ChatGPT, you may be disappointed. Indeed, Apple’s strategy does not consist of offering a chatbot that has the answer to (almost) everything, like the ChatGPT models or Google’s Gemini. This strategy is clarified by Craig Federighi, Senior Vice President responsible for software development at Apple, in an interview with the Wall Street Journal.
Apple evokes another vision for AI
In essence, instead of developing yet another ultra-intelligent chatbot, Apple is instead seeking to create an experience integrated into its products and also very personal. Federighi admits that other chatbots are powerful and have very interesting uses. “(…) but I think the real power of intelligence in terms of how our customers would use our products is intelligence that understands you,” he declared. “This comes with a lot of responsibility, because to do this, this intelligence must track the information you have stored on your device, which means privacy is an extremely important consideration.”
To ensure the confidentiality of personal information, Apple has developed AI capable of processing information locally, on the user’s iPhone, iPad or Mac. Then, if certain tasks are too heavy to be handled locally, the cloud takes over. But here too, Apple has developed a system called Private Cloud Compute which secures personal information sent to the cloud. Otherwise, if the user has more complex questions that require more powerful AI, they can always use ChatGPT. Indeed, Apple has partnered with OpenAI to offer ChatGPT integration with Apple Intelligence. This integration is not yet available, but it is already tested on the beta version of iOS 18.2 (an update which will arrive in stable version later).
A progressive deployment which is assumed
The other problem with Apple Intelligence, apart from the fact that it does not replace AIs like ChatGPT, is that its functionalities arrive in dribs and drabs. And we should only have all the features presented by Apple in June from next year. But here too, Apple assumes this staggered deployment. Apple prefers to ensure that an Apple Intelligence feature is finalized before releasing it.
Otherwise, remember that, for the moment, Apple Intelligence is blocked in the European Union, on the iPhone and iPad. Indeed, Apple must first ensure its compliance with specific EU rules, and in particular the Digital Markets Act, before launching Apple Intelligence.
- With the gradual deployment of Apple Intelligence, Apple enters the AI race
- However, its AI is not comparable to ChatGPT and this is fully assumed by the firm
- This prefers to focus on an experience integrated into its products and also personal, while ensuring the confidentiality of the information processed by the AI
- However, users will later be able to benefit from ChatGPT integration with Apple Intelligence, for complex queries
- Apple also assumes the gradual deployment of the features it presented in June