Apple is enhancing its voice assistant Siri and its operating systems using ChatGPT from OpenAI in its quest to keep up with the artificial intelligence trend.
The iPhone manufacturer announced the transformation of Siri alongside several other new features at its annual developer conference on Monday.
It’s part of a new personal artificial intelligence system – called “Apple Intelligence” – aimed at providing users with an easier way to navigate Apple devices.
The iPhone and Mac operating systems are getting a cool update! Soon, you’ll be able to chat with me, ChatGPT, right from your device, thanks to a partnership with OpenAI.
ChatGPT can also be used to enhance other tools, including text creation and content. The beta version will be available in the fall.
Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, said this move would elevate his company’s products to “new heights” during his opening keynote at the Worldwide Developers Conference at the tech giant’s headquarters in Cupertino, California.
However, there was a mixed market reaction, with Apple’s stock price dropping by 1.91% on Monday, the day of the announcement.
Additionally, the partnership didn’t receive a warm welcome from Elon Musk, owner of Tesla and Twitter/X, who threatened to ban iPhones from his companies due to “data security” concerns.
Musk said on X: “Apple has no idea what actually happens once your data is handed over to OpenAI. They’re selling you down the river.”
Apple did not respond to his claims.
Samsung, a competitor in the smartphone industry, also mocked its rival’s announcement.
“Adding ‘Apple’ doesn’t make it new or groundbreaking. Apple posted on X “Welcome to artificial intelligence,”.
This isn’t the first time the South Korean company has sought to undermine its competitor.
However, Apple’s biggest concern will be whether its new artificial intelligence tools will help it catch up with competing companies that have been faster to adopt this technology.
Microsoft surpassed Apple as the world’s most valuable company in January, then Nvidia, an electronic chip manufacturer, surpassed it again in early June.
What is “Apple Intelligence”?
According to Ben Wood, chief analyst at CCS Insight, while Apple’s new personal artificial intelligence system “will help calm nervous investors,” the integration of ChatGPT could reveal and create deeper problems for the company.
“Apple Intelligence” is not a product or an app in itself.
It will become a part of every app and used by Apple product customers – whether it’s a writing assistant improving your message drafts or notes to find the best way to reach your next appointment.
In this respect, it resembles Microsoft’s Copilot artificial intelligence assistant, but you won’t have to pay extra to activate it.
Siri, the voice assistant Apple acquired in 2010, has been updated with a new interface and a more conversational approach to help users navigate their devices and apps more smoothly.
Wood told BBC: “You could argue that this acknowledges Apple’s limitations because ChatGPT will start at a stage where Siri can no longer assist the user.”
During Monday’s keynote, Apple made sure to highlight just how secure Apple Intelligence is.
Some processing will be done on the device itself, while larger operations requiring more power will be sent to the cloud, but no data will be stored there.
This is vital for customers paying high prices for Apple’s privacy promises.
Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering, said the system “places powerful generative models at the heart of your iPhone, iPad, and Mac.”
It works by understanding your unique situation to give you the info you need, all while keeping your privacy safe at every turn.
What does the OpenAI and Apple deal mean?
Apple’s decision to integrate OpenAI’s ChatGPT technology was widely expected, but it’s an unusual move for a company that closely guards its products.
Google and Microsoft have recently faced scrutiny for mistakes made by their own artificial intelligence products in recent months, with the search giant backtracking on a new feature in May after its incorrect answers spread.
Apple has been sticking to its App Store for quite some time, not letting customers download apps from elsewhere. Their reasoning? Concerns about security. They’re also pretty strict about web browsers, insisting on Safari to ensure safety.
It only changed when compelled to do so under European Union legislation.
Does this acknowledge that even Apple can’t compete with ChatGPT at present?
If so, it tells us a lot about the current strength of the giant artificial intelligence company OpenAI.
The company said it would integrate other products in the future, but did not mention any names.
Apple announced that its mixed reality headset Vision Pro will go on sale in the UK on July 12. It has been available in the United States since February.
Other new features announced on Monday include:
– Sending texts via satellite
– Scheduling messages to send later
– Using head gestures (nodding yes or shaking the head for no) to control AirPods Pro
– An app just for your passwords that you can use on any of your devices
– The ability to hide specific apps or lock them behind Face ID or passcodes.