Tim Cook spoke recently at Apple Park during the "It's Glowtime" event. Photo: Apple
Apple CEO Tim Cook revealed details about the company’s approach to artificial intelligence and defended its Vision Pro headset in an extensive interview Wednesday. In a now-familiar refrain, he discussed the company’s strategic entry into generative AI while addressing criticisms about Apple’s seemingly delayed response to the AI boom.
“We never talked about charging for it,” Cook said of Apple Intelligence. “We view it sort of like multitouch, which enabled the smartphone revolution and the modern tablet.”
Apple Intelligence is a powerful LLM that runs both in the cloud and on-device. Image: Apple
Contrary to popular opinion, Apple appears to be ahead in AI — and in some cases seems far in front of the competition. The revelation comes from an Apple white paper that hasn’t gotten much attention, but should.
A white paper on Apple’s Foundation Model, the company’s homegrown LLM (large-language model) that powers Apple Intelligence, reveals two important facts: it’s the safest in design and highly competitive with both Meta’s Llama and OpenAI’s GPT-4. This seems to debunk a big myth about Apple’s AI efforts: that the company’s privacy-first philosophy would hold it back.
The Apple Foundation Model is just as capable in tests of writing and summarization compared to the top LLMs by OpenAI, Meta, Mistral AI and others. And thanks to Apple’s strict guidelines for expunging harmful content, human-evaluated tests repeatedly rank its foundation model as the safest above all the rest — by a wide margin.
It looks like Apple Intelligence could be off to a good start.
Future AirPods might come with cameras on board. Image: Cult of Mac
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: AirPods … with cameras?!? The latest AirPods rumor sounds a little nuts, but Apple wowed us with weird features before. Plus, we discuss the latest on the Vision Pro — and how Apple might cut costs to produce a cheaper “Vision Air” headset.
Also on The CultCast:
ChatGPT integration on iPhones, Macs and iPads aside, Apple reportedly got something big out of its OpenAI partnership.
Griffin shines a light on a little trick everybody with an iPad Magic Keyboard needs to know.
A doctor says the Apple Watch can detect one of the leading causes of fatal heart attacks.
We discuss some of the weirdest Apple products that never made it to reality. The prototypes look wild!
Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.
After talks broke down, it looks like Meta's AI won't come to iOS 18. Photo/Graphics: Meta, Apple, Rajesh Pandey/CultofMac
In a move bound to raise eyebrows, Apple and Meta Platforms reportedly discussed integrating Meta’s generative AI model into Apple Intelligence. Besides Meta, AI startups Perplexity and Anthropic also reportedly talked with Apple about integrating their offerings into Apple Intelligence.
Update: The initial report of a possible partnership to bring Meta’s Llama large language model to Apple Intelligence made it sound like talks were ongoing. However, a new story published Monday said Apple rejected Meta’s LLM “months ago.”
Apple and OpenAI's ChatGPT integration in iOS 18 is about more than money. Photo: Apple
Apple is not paying OpenAI for ChatGPT access in iOS 18, according to a new report. Neither is OpenAI paying Apple for the privilege of integrating its chatbot into millions of iPhones later this year.
A news story sheds light on the high-profile arrangement between the two companies — and details how it is more than about money.
How safe is your iPhone on Apple Intelligence? Image: Apple
After Cupertino confirmed rumors that it would integrate ChatGPT into iOS 18, iPadOS 18 and macOS Sequoia as part of its Apple Intelligence framework, Elon Musk threatened to ban iPhones and other Apple devices from his company’s offices over security concerns.
“If Apple integrates OpenAI at the OS level, then Apple devices will be banned at my companies,” Musk — who runs Tesla, X and SpaceX, among other things — said on the platform formerly known as Twitter. “That is an unacceptable security violation.”
Apple users could be able to skip the new AI features coming to iPhone and Mac. Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Apple will add an AI chatbot powered by OpenAI to iPhone and Mac, according to an unconfirmed report. But users of these devices won’t be forced to use it.
And that goes for more than the chatbot. Apparently, Apple will give users the option to pass on all the upcoming artificial intelligence features. The company plans to showcase its big AI push at its Worldwide Developers Conference next week.
When will Siri get that long-overdue brain transplant? Image: Cult of Mac
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: With the many AI-powered features reportedly coming in iOS 18, a Siri revamp sounds possible — and promising! We talk about OpenAI’s startlingly good GPT-4o demos and wonder if Siri will ever amaze us like that.
Also on The CultCast:
Who will be Apple’s next CEO? Cupertino reportedly has a couple familiar faces on its short list.
New features in iOS 17.5 are … OK. However, some of the accessibility features coming later this year — including Vision Pro-style eye tracking for iPhone — look pretty incredible.
Those rumors of future folding iPhones just won’t stop.
Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.
The new OpenAI GPT-4o AI-powered chatbot might be part of iOS 18 and macOS 15. Image: OpenAI
OpenAI’s GPT-4o, a new version of the company’s artificial intelligence chatbot, is a significant step forward from its predecessors. Demonstrations show the AI interacting with users in ways that seem startlingly human.
Unconfirmed reports indicate Apple and OpenAI are negotiating a deal that would build some version of GPT into iOS and macOS.
Apple takes a different approach to AI from many of its competitors. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
As artificial intelligence and machine learning become mainstream in business, large tech firms like Amazon and Facebook look to introduce AI features that transform the way we engage online through predictive purchase models and other algorithmic means. But how does Apple use AI?
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In contrast to competitors’ high-profile activities, Apple lays low on the AI revolution. In fact, the company scarcely mentioned AI at all until recently. You’d be forgiven for thinking Cupertino might not even be involved in the buzziest tech around.
But it definitely is. Apple’s business teams are cooking up many AI and ML opportunities. Still, Apple takes on AI challenges from a different angle with a more intuitive approach. Let’s look behind the scenes at the world’s largest tech company to see how tomorrow’s ideas are shaping today’s products.
Let's go out with a bang, shall we? Image: Cult of Mac
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Since Apple and the rest of the civilized world is taking a holiday break, we’re spending the majority of the show on our final picks for the best and worst of 2023.
Also on The CultCast:
The U.S. ban on the import and sales of Apple Watch takes another weird twist.
Former Apple design chief Jony Ive lures another former colleague away from Cupertino. This time, the goal is to build AI hardware for OpenAI.
Amazon Prime Video’s plan to add commercials is a major bummer.
Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.
Jony Ive left Apple in 2019 and founded design firm LoveFrom. Photo: Vanity Fair/YouTube
Former Apple design chief Jony Ive and OpenAI are trying to raise $1 billion to build the “iPhone of artificial intelligence,” according to a new report.
The article builds on previous media items about Ive brainstorming with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman on the project.
Now you have another option for using AI on your iPhone. Photo: Opera
The Opera browser for iOS now features an artificially intelligent assistant created in collaboration with OpenAI. Opera calls it Aria, and says it “offers you a cutting-edge generative AI service for free.”
Similarly to other such tools, Opera integrated its AI into the browser and makes it free to use once you opt in.
The phone bot talks to telemarketers so humans don't have to. Photo: Mart [email protected]
People don’t answer the phone as much they used to, especially because they can usually see who’s calling. But if you have a history of hating telemarketers’ tenacious harassment, now you can get some payback.
A new report points out you can hire a phone bot that uses artificial intelligence and voice cloning to keep those unwanted callers tied up until they give up and hang up.