Apple’s World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June left tech enthusiasts buzzing about the company’s latest ventures into artificial intelligence (AI). While these features are certainly intriguing, Apple finds itself on a path of catching up to industry leaders like OpenAI and its renowned ChatGPT. Historically, Apple was slow to dive into the AI pool, with competitors such as Google and Samsung leading the charge in integrating AI into their ecosystems. A leading analyst suggests that Apple currently lags two years behind but is gearing up to fully integrate AI capabilities across all its devices within the upcoming period.
Though Apple’s AI pursuits have been announced, they’re not yet widely available to the public. The company is reportedly testing the rollout of its AI features, dubbed Apple Intelligence, alongside the imminent release of iOS 18.1. However, this update won’t reveal all that Apple teased at WWDC. Instead, features will be rolled out incrementally over a series of updates, culminating next year. Interestingly, efforts are already in motion to incorporate ChatGPT capabilities within Siri, potentially available later this year.
In a recent edition of his Power On newsletter, Mark Gurman from Bloomberg highlighted that some Apple insiders believe the company trails the AI race by about two years. This ascription seems fitting, considering Apple entered the AI landscape trailing behind tech giants like Google and Microsoft. Despite this late entry, Apple is reputed for rapidly catching up with technological trends, and many anticipate Apple Intelligence will soon become a hallmark of its product suite.
Gurman further notes that Apple might enlist third-party assistance or other language models to hasten its AI development. In the coming two years, it’s anticipated that every Apple device with a display, from iPhones to iPads, will showcase Apple Intelligence. The new iPad mini 7 already carries the necessary hardware—8GB of RAM and an A17 Pro chip—setting the stage for AI integration. Similarly, next year’s entry-level iPad is expected to follow suit.
Excitingly, Apple is also planning an iPhone 17 ‘Air’ model for next year that will feature 8GB of RAM, specifically tailored for Apple Intelligence. The affordable iPhone SE 4, its launch slated for Spring 2025, will likely be the most cost-effective device with Apple Intelligence baked in. All signs indicate that Apple is fully committed to the future of AI, preparing to embed this technology across its range of offerings. Do you think Apple’s strategy will manage to bridge its current gap in AI development within the next two years?
