Some employees at Apple reportedly believe that the company is about two years behind when it comes to the development of artificial intelligence (AI). Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has shared some insights on a few internal studies and also gives a glimpse at Apple's strategy. Apple introduced its Apple Intelligence feature set during WWDC24 in June, marking its entry into the growing AI trend. The set includes various innovative features, such as AI-generated notification summaries, intelligent filtering for important alerts, a revamped Siri with personal context, Image Playground, Genmoji, and more.
An intriguing aspect of Apple’s AI approach, which wasn’t revealed until later in the development phase, is that the company isn’t taking on the entire AI journey by itself. Instead, it appears to be collaborating with other entities to enhance its AI offerings.
Apple's Partnership For Lack Of Development
Apple Intelligence primarily depends on models that operate directly on devices, resulting in relatively high system requirements. To use Apple Intelligence, you need at least an A17 or M1 chipset and a minimum of 8GB of memory. However, because these models run locally, there's a natural limit to the amount of information they can handle.
To address this limitation, Apple has also revealed a partnership with OpenAI to integrate ChatGPT into its ecosystem. While using this feature is optional, it offers users access to a broader range of knowledge if they choose to utilize it.
OpenAI's ChatGPT vs Apple's Siri
OpenAI is known for creating some of the most advanced AI models globally, and Apple has revealed that it will support GPT-4o across its iOS, iPadOS, and macOS platforms. This integration will be featured in Siri and various writing tools. The addition of ChatGPT was anticipated to bridge the knowledge gap, and new insights reveal just how significant that gap is.
As reported by Gurman, internal research at Apple indicates that ChatGPT is approximately 25% more accurate than Siri and can respond to about 30% more queries. He added, “some at Apple believe that its generative AI technology – at least, so far – is more than two years behind the industry leaders.”
What Is Apple’s Strategy For The Future?
Apple has a history of successfully catching up in areas where it initially lags behind, as seen with Apple Maps. Gurman believes that Apple will eventually close the gap, whether through internal development, hiring talent, or acquiring companies with the necessary expertise.
Furthermore, Gurman predicts that by 2026, Apple Intelligence will be available on all devices with screens. The iPhone SE is expected to receive the A18 chip in March, while the entry-level iPad will likely be updated sometime in 2025.
With a significant number of devices equipped to run advanced AI models, Apple is in a strong position to iterate quickly, allowing users to benefit from these advancements in a timely manner. The key will be how Apple continues to evolve its technology in the future.