Apple says it will ‘break new ground’ in generative AI – here’s what to expect
Tim Cook has spent the past few months preparing the Apple faithful for the company’s first foray into generative artificial intelligence (AI), and has repeatedly said the company is about to launch its own AI tool to compete with, for example, ChatGPT. Now the Apple boss has just given another big hint of what we can expect.
Speaking at Apple’s Annual Shareholders Meeting (via MacRumors), Cook claimed that the company will “break new ground” in generative AI – and this wasn’t some vague promise that we’ll have to wait years for to materialize, as Cook said it will happen this year .
In early February 2024, Apple’s CEO said there was “a huge opportunity for Apple with generative AI.” In his most recent call, he was in a similarly optimistic mood when he announced: “We believe this will unlock transformative opportunities for our users.”
Of course, Cook didn’t go into detail about what exactly those opportunities will be – he would no doubt prefer to wait until Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June to announce that. But there are plenty of areas where we expect generative AI to make its mark on Apple’s products.
Coming soon for iOS 18
Just as Microsoft has integrated its Copilot AI into its own suite of apps, we expect Apple to do something similar with its own AI model. Apps like Pages and Numbers could get a virtual assistant to make your work easier, while Apple Music could get a virtual DJ, similar to what Spotify currently offers. This is all speculation at the moment, but it’s not hard to imagine how Apple could follow its rivals in these areas.
However, there is another rumor that has a bit more confirmation: AI could soon improve Siri. Apple’s Assistant has been lagging behind the competition for years, and generative AI could give it the chance it so desperately needs. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman – who has previously leaked very accurate information about Apple’s future plans – Siri could be getting a “major upgrade” with this year’s iOS 18, which could be “one of the biggest iOS updates – if not the could be the largest – in history. history of the company.”
That means Apple has the chance to finally overtake its rivals when it comes to generative AI, and right years of poor Siri performance. With just a few months to go before iOS 18 debuts at WWDC, we’re waiting with bated breath.