CEO Tim Cook tells Worldwide Developers Conference AI features are the ‘next big step for Apple’.
Apple has unveiled a range of new features powered by artificial intelligence, in collaboration with OpenAI. This comes as the tech giant faces criticism over potentially lagging behind in the AI race.
During Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference in Cupertino, California, CEO Tim Cook and other executives introduced “Apple Intelligence” in a lengthy presentation.
“All of this goes beyond artificial intelligence, it’s personal intelligence, and it is the next big step for Apple,” CEO Tim Cook stated.
The upgrades involve a revamp of the virtual assistant Siri, now capable of a wider range of tasks thanks to ChatGPT.
Users will also be able to create custom emojis based on language cues and automatically summarize emails within Apple’s ecosystem.
Apple emphasized its commitment to privacy, setting itself apart from competitors like Microsoft and Google known for extensive data collection in AI.
Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of software engineering, highlighted that “Apple Intelligence” integrates AI models into devices while safeguarding user privacy.
The new features will be included in the upcoming iOS 18 release later this year, with full functionality limited to newer iPhone, iPad, and Mac models.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman expressed enthusiasm for the partnership, integrating ChatGPT into Apple’s products.
However, Elon Musk, founder of OpenAI competitor xAI, criticized the collaboration, raising concerns about data privacy and security implications.
Investors were not impressed with Apple’s announcements, as the company’s shares dropped by nearly 2 percent following the presentation.
