Apple is planning to make a significant investment in the development of generative artificial intelligence (AI) solutions, with an annual budget of approximately $1 billion, according to Bloomberg. The move is seen as a response to the progress made by tech giants like Google, Microsoft, and Amazon in the field of AI technology.

Apple’s Entry into the AI Race

While Apple has already used AI to enhance certain features of its products, the company has yet to release a generative AI tool similar to OpenAI’s ChatGPT or Google Bard. However, Apple is now planning to join the competition by creating its own language AI model framework called Ajax. The company is also rumored to be working on an in-house chatbot called AppleGPT. Both of these innovations, however, have not been integrated into Apple’s products yet.

The $1 billion annual investment will primarily focus on incorporating AI capabilities into various aspects of Apple’s ecosystem. The company is exploring the integration of AI into products like Siri, Messages, and Apple Music, with the possibility of introducing AI-generated playlists similar to Spotify’s approach through its partnership with OpenAI. Additionally, Apple is considering the use of AI within Xcode to assist developers in creating applications more efficiently. This move could significantly streamline the app development process for iOS developers. Furthermore, Apple is testing generative AI solutions for internal customer service apps within the AppleCare family.

Apple’s AI Development Team

Leading the AI endeavors at Apple are industry luminaries such as John Giannandrea, the Senior Vice President of Machine Learning and AI Strategy, Craig Federighi, the Senior Vice President of Software Engineering, and Eddy Cue, the Head of Services, according to Bloomberg. Eddy Cue’s team is focused on introducing AI features to as many Apple products as possible, including an auto-generated playlist for Apple Music. The team is also exploring the use of generative AI to assist users with writing app-like pages and automatically creating slide decks for Keynote presentations. On the other hand, the software engineering division led by Craig Federighi is working on implementing AI in the next version of iOS, with the aim of enriching it with functionalities based on the company’s large language model and extensive data to enhance AI capabilities.

FAQs

What is generative artificial intelligence (AI)?

Generative AI refers to AI models that can generate original content, such as text, images, or music, based on patterns and existing data.

How does Apple currently use AI?

Apple currently uses AI to enhance features like photo quality and text auto-correction on its products.

What are some examples of generative AI tools?

Examples of generative AI tools include OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google Bard, which can generate human-like text based on prompts.

What is Xcode?

Xcode is Apple’s integrated development environment (IDE) used by developers to create applications for Apple’s platforms, including iOS, macOS, and watchOS.