Apple's highly anticipated iOS 18 and other operating systems' artificial intelligence (AI) features may be released in the form of "beta" or "preview," according to Mark Gurman, a columnist for Bloomberg. This decision may reflect Apple's cautious and steady approach in the AI revolution, as well as its standards for stability and direct release of certain features within this cycle.
Although Apple is currently seen as relatively behind in the AI field, the catastrophic AI release experienced by Google Search last week may make Apple's strategy of slow and cautious use of the beta label wiser. This approach may help Apple avoid similar embarrassments and provide more time to refine and optimize its AI capabilities.
Apple is expected to take a multi-pronged approach to handling AI features. Some AI requests will be processed locally on users' devices, while more complex requests will be sent to Apple's cloud infrastructure for processing. Depending on the task, the locally running code will determine whether the device can handle the request independently or if it needs to be passed on to Apple's backend servers for further processing.
It is worth noting that only newer Apple devices, such as the latest generation or two of iPhones, iPads, and Macs, have the capability to process AI requests on the device. Additionally, Apple is preparing a dedicated miniaturized device model for the Apple Watch to support its AI capabilities.
AI-based features will cover various aspects, including summaries of text messages and notifications, transcription of voice memos, AI photo editing, auto-suggested message replies, and updates to Safari and Spotlight searches. Siri will also be improved to provide users with smarter and more convenient services. Users can even create new variants of emojis in real-time using generative AI, adding more fun to communication.
However, the key question lies in how Apple will present its new AI strategy. Over the years, Apple has emphasized the benefits of performing all operations on the device to ensure the privacy and security of user data. However, in the era of generative AI, the desired features often rely on large server clouds for processing. This may pose a challenge for Apple in finding a balance between protecting user privacy and providing advanced AI capabilities.
Apple's cloud will run on its Apple Silicon chips on its servers, but in terms of definition, this processing method may be slightly less private compared to data never leaving the user's device.
In addition, iOS 18 will also integrate a chatbot supported by OpenAI's ChatGPT technology. Rumor has it that Sam Altman, the founder of OpenAI, may even make an appearance in the WWDC video to announce this partnership. Meanwhile, Apple's collaboration with Google's Gemini project may still be ongoing, indicating that Apple will continue to deepen its strategic layout in the AI field.
