Where is Apple's GPT Now?
On October 20, reports emerged that Jeff Pu, an analyst at Haitong International Securities, believes Apple plans to integrate generative AI technology into the iPhone and iPad by the end of 2024 at the earliest.
In his research report, Pu indicated that his supply chain investigations suggest Apple will set up hundreds of AI servers in the next two years to achieve this.
Pu anticipates that Apple will offer a combination of cloud-based AI and "edge AI," the latter involving more on-device data processing. Apple is still determining how to legally and ethically use customer personal data, so it may be a while before we see "Apple GPT."
However, if things go as planned, Apple's AI could be implemented by the end of 2024, possibly starting with iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 introducing generative AI features. The exact form this technology will take remains uncertain.
Although it wasn't until July of this year that media outlets revealed Apple had established the Ajax large language model development framework and was secretly developing its own "Apple GPT," Apple's interest in generative AI dates back much earlier than most realize.
Four years ago, Apple's AI chief, John Giannandrea, authorized the formation of a team to develop conversational AI (large language models), underscoring Apple's commitment to the field.
When ChatGPT became available, Apple's AI team reportedly ramped up their efforts. To accelerate LLM development, Apple not only significantly increased research funding-burning through millions of dollars daily-but also poached many engineers from Google. Apple employees unanimously believe their Apple GPT model surpasses the capabilities of GPT-3.5.
With such a powerful language model, a major upgrade across Apple's product line is expected.
In September, reports indicated that Apple plans to integrate the large language model into its Siri voice assistant, allowing users to automatically execute complex tasks. This feature will involve deep integration with the Shortcuts app. The feature is expected to be released in the 2024 iPhone software update, potentially becoming a key feature of iOS 18.
However, it's worth noting that due to Siri's "cumbersome design," Apple might need a considerable amount of time to update the database to support new features. A former engineer mentioned that adding a new phrase requires rebuilding the Siri database, which could take up to six weeks, and adding more complex features like search tools could take over a year.
In an interview, Apple CEO Tim Cook stated:
We've been dedicated to generative AI for many years and have conducted extensive research. We'll approach it with care and consideration, fully aware of potential misuse and issues like bias.
