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Apple, a company that has been considered a pioneer in the technology industry for years, is facing a major challenge when it comes to artificial intelligence (AI). According to a report, Apple is about two years behind its competitors in the development of AI technologies.
According to the latest Output According to the Power On newsletter by Mark Gurman, a well-informed expert on Apple internals, some Apple employees are concerned that the company has fallen behind in the development of artificial intelligence. While competitors from Google and OpenAI are making great strides, Apple is being accused of not moving forward quickly enough.
Apple's AI lag: What happened?
According to Gurman, some employees at Apple believe that the company is at least two years behind the competition in the development of AI technologies. This assessment is based on internal studies that show a direct comparison between Apple's Siri and OpenAI's AI model ChatGPT. It turns out that ChatGPT is about 25% more accurate than Siri and can answer about 30% more questions. The gap is particularly evident in generative AI technologies - those that are able to independently create content such as text or images. These technologies are seen as the future of AI, and according to Gurman, Apple is not yet competitive in this area.
Apple Intelligence: The first step towards the future
Despite the setbacks, Apple unveiled new AI features called Apple Intelligence at the WWDC developer conference in June 2024. These include AI notification summaries that display prioritized information and a completely new version of Siri that responds to the user's personal context. These features run directly on users' devices, underscoring Apple's focus on privacy and security. However, this places high demands on the hardware: users need a device with an A17 Pro or M1 chip and newer and at least 8 GB of RAM to fully utilize the new AI features.
Collaboration with OpenAI: ChatGPT comes to Apple
To reduce the gap, Apple has announced that it will integrate OpenAI's ChatGPT into its operating system. Users are not required to use this feature, but it will be available as an option to handle more complex questions and tasks. ChatGPT will be integrated not only into Siri but also into Apple's writing tools. This means that iOS, iPadOS and macOS users will be able to access advanced AI technologies that go far beyond what Siri can currently do.
Siri vs. ChatGPT: The direct comparison
Apple's internal studies make it clear that Siri is currently lagging behind in a direct comparison with ChatGPT. This is mainly because GPT-4o - the OpenAI model currently used - is one of the world's most powerful AI systems. By integrating ChatGPT, Apple hopes to close this gap. This is an important step, as ChatGPT is able to answer complex queries much more precisely and comprehensively than Siri. The integration of ChatGPT will also play a crucial role in the area of writing tools, as generative AI technologies are particularly useful here.
Apple's long-term strategy
Although Apple is currently behind in AI development, the company is known for catching up quickly when it falls behind in a technological area. A good example of this is the development of Apple Maps, which, after a rocky start, eventually became a serious competitor to Google Maps. According to Gurman, Apple already has plans to make its Apple Intelligence available on all devices with a screen by 2026. This includes the iPhone SE, which is expected to be released in March 2025 with an A18 chip, and the entry-level iPad, which is expected to receive an update later in 2025. Apple also has the advantage of having a wide range of devices with powerful hardware capable of running complex AI models. By further developing these technologies, Apple could make significant progress in the next few years.
Apple's strategy: Catch up and set new AI standards
Apple is currently in a difficult position when it comes to AI development, but has already taken steps to catch up. By partnering with OpenAI and integrating ChatGPT into Siri and other tools, Apple is showing that it is determined to get back on top. The coming years will be crucial to whether Apple manages to catch up and take a leading role in the world of artificial intelligence. But one thing is certain: with the resources and technology at the company's disposal, Apple has every chance of successfully mastering this technological change. (Image: Apple)
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