In its WWDC 2024 keynote presentation Monday, by our depend Apple mentioned “AI” a complete of thrice. Examine that to the Google I/O keynote final month, throughout which the search giant uttered “AI” over 120 times. Clearly, Apple does not need you associating its upcoming machine-learning options for iPhones, iPads and Macs with a time period that is sending the shares of Nvidia and Microsoft hovering.
As an alternative, Apple’s cheekily advertising and marketing AI as “Apple Intelligence.” A few of the options Apple confirmed off included AI-powered e mail proofreading, audio transcription and image editing, all of which can be found on Home windows, Google and Samsung gadgets. However Apple is also bringing its personal twist to generative AI, introducing options not discovered on Android, comparable to on-device picture technology of what it calls Genmoji. The query is, why is not Apple saying “AI” on the similar clip as Google, Samsung or Microsoft?
One argument is that it has to do with Apple’s devoted customers.
“I believe this kind of gradual and measured strategy is in keeping with the truth that they’ve sufficient person lock-in to offer them somewhat additional runway or cowl,” mentioned Andy Tsay, professor of knowledge methods on the Leavey Faculty of Enterprise at Santa Clara College, who’s been educating his college students about Apple for many years.
To a better diploma than its Massive Tech rivals, Apple has a buyer base that is sticky, unwilling to leap to different merchandise or platforms. A few of that stickiness is deliberate on Apple’s half, like restricting messaging in iMessage, creating cliques of iPhone users. Different occasions it is the corporate’s obsession with ease of use, making it an amazing platform for individuals who do not care to spend hours customizing their gadgets.
This deal with making Apple merchandise aspirational, whereas additionally making them straightforward to make use of, has propelled the Cupertino-based firm right into a $2.6 trillion entity. That valuation is lagging behind Microsoft, nonetheless, which is being rewarded handsomely on Wall Road for its AI investments, particularly its partnership with ChatGPT maker OpenAI. (Perhaps Apple will now see the same bump, again towards its earlier heights, provided that one in all its WWDC 2024 revelations is that it, too, is partnering with OpenAI.)
Apple does not must be flamboyant in its embrace of AI, however as an alternative could make “Apple Intelligence” a background factor of the options its customers love. That strategy additionally might enable Apple to sidestep among the considerations individuals have about generative AI, as an example by firming down the picture technology capabilities to keep away from being related to abuses like teen college students making deepfake nudes of classmates.
In fact, there’s the argument that Apple’s simply skirting the truth that it is enjoying catchup with rivals which have been selling their gen AI capabilities for months.
“The pessimistic view is that Apple is gradual to reply,” mentioned Tsay. “However the optimistic view is, they’re taking the time to watch out and considerate and ensuring that that really solves issues for his or her prospects and simply works.”
Apple did not instantly reply to a request for remark.
We have already seen main AI missteps from Google, together with producing photos of historical figures in Nazi uniforms and telling you to add glue to pizza. These stumbles, critics say, present that Google rushed its Gemini AI to the market as OpenAI, Microsoft and others blazed the path.
Apple apparently is not feeling that very same stress. It already has a buyer base that is keen to pay a premium on merchandise that merely work. In response to Tsay: “While you’re the king, I do not suppose you need to swing for the fences.”
Watch this: OpenAI’s ChatGPT Is Coming to Apple Apps