During the latest quarterly earnings call, Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, diverged from his typical agenda to discuss the future trajectory of Apple’s products, specifically shining a spotlight on the company’s investments in artificial intelligence (AI).
Cook conveyed his excitement about revealing the ongoing advancements in this domain later this year, teasing the potential integration of extensive AI functionalities into iOS 18, which is slated for unveiling at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June.
With iOS 18 poised to represent a significant breakthrough, Apple is aiming to transform its operating system by deeply infusing AI technologies. Clues embedded in the iOS 17.4 code hinted at Apple’s experimentation with its in-house large language model, known as Ajax, in conjunction with ChatGPT and similar cutting-edge technologies.
Throughout the earnings call, Cook underscored Apple’s dedication to propelling technologies that will sculpt the company’s future, with a particular emphasis on AI as a cornerstone of their investments. The deliberate acknowledgment of upcoming AI innovations appeared to counter prevailing industry and investor speculations suggesting Apple’s trailing position compared to rivals like Microsoft and Google in the realm of generative AI capabilities.
Apple’s strategic deployment of AI extends to the enrichment of Siri, its virtual assistant, which has encountered scrutiny in recent times. The envisioned ‘Siri 2.0’ iteration, harnessing contemporary generative AI models, holds the potential to reshape perceptions surrounding Siri if executed proficiently.
Moreover, Apple is gearing up to embed AI functionalities across its iPhone operating system, facilitating features such as intelligent message responses in Messages, tailored playlist suggestions in Apple Music, and more.
Historically, Apple unveils major updates for iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS at the WWDC event in June, with subsequent releases slated for the autumn season. While Cook’s remarks did not explicitly mention WWDC, the timeline of “later this year” aligns with the expected timeframe of the conference.
