Apple reached a new milestone by unveiling its latest innovations, including a state-of-the-art augmented and virtual reality device, not to mention artificial intelligence (AI), a technology that is considered inevitable at all Silicon Valley events.
Since the launch of the unique ChatGPT by startup OpenAI last year, every tech company has been competing in the AI creation arena.
In fact they have no choice, researchers, investors and consumers are feverish with these programs capable of generating texts, images and videos with a simple request in common language.
Microsoft and Google are rushing to add this technology to their browsers and office programs so that a robot can attract users who are happy to write their emails and plan their vacations.
Companies from Snapchat to banks to tour operators are adding sophisticated chat apps to their services.
But Apple, a neighbor of Google and Meta (the parent company of Facebook and Instagram), didn’t even mention generative AI or artificial intelligence at its annual developer conference last Monday.
„Apple ignores the AI revolution it’s creating,” headlined Wired’s special issue at the end of the event.
– Discretion? –
The iPhone maker is no stranger to artificial intelligence, a broad concept that encompasses many technologies that are rare or not particularly complex.
The revelation has been criticized, particularly as it evokes a sci-fi future in which sentient and ubiquitous machines take control of humanity.
That’s why some companies, including TikTok and Facebook (Meta), are innovating using AI.
„We build it into our products, but users don’t necessarily think of it as AI,” Apple CEO Tim Cook explained in an interview with ABC News this week.
Several activities on Monday showed that this technology was involved.
For example, „machine learning” algorithms will improve the automatic spell checker, said Craig Federighi, head of apps.
Thanks to AI, the keyboard can be interpreted as being less restrictive when a user wants to type some common swear words, as well as learning their preferences and making suggestions. But he does not mention such algorithms.
AI will also play a big role in the Apple brand’s first mixed virtual reality headset, which will ship next year for $3,500.
In fact, the Vision Pro’s computer will be capable of creating a hyper-realistic digital avatar of the wearer, using sensors that capture the person’s video recordings and mouth and hand movements in real time.
– 'They are too late’ –
For some observers, the AI hurdle shows that Apple has lost ground to its rivals.
„They’re way behind,” said independent analyst Rob Enderle.
ChatGPT’s success „took them by surprise,” the expert estimated. „They thought this type of AI wasn’t going to be around for a long time (…) Now they’re going to be forced to buy a start-up in this field.”
The lackluster performance of Siri, Apple’s voice assistant launched ten years ago, gives the impression that the Californian giant has some way to go.
„It’s clear to almost everyone that Apple is losing the race to Siri, the product where the lag is most obvious,” said Yori Wurmser of Insider Intelligence.
But the expert also recalled that the company was above all a computer hardware company. AI-powered apps are „a means of improving the user experience” for Apple.
According to Wedbush’s Dan Ives, despite what’s not being said, the Vision Pro release demonstrates the team’s ability in AI.
He added that the new device is „the first step at the heart of a larger Apple strategy to build an ecosystem of creative AI apps.”
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