Are Siri and ChatGPT enough to make Microsoft Copilot crumble?
iOS 18 will introduce OpenAI tech into the Apple ecosystem, and it will likely be announced when the company has its full software conference at WWDC 2024.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman published his latest Power On newsletter on Sunday, focusing on Apple's efforts in the AI space with new features, alongside how its partnership with OpenAi to bring ChatGPT to iPhone will thrust the company into the thick of it with competitors.
But Gurman reports that he "doesn't expect Apple's in-house AI announcements to be nearly as impressive as what OpenAI and Google have already showcased."
This comes shortly after the official announcement of GPT-4o greatly expanding the possibilities of ChatGPT, alongside Google I/O 2024 giving us a look at the new generative AI features coming to its ecosystem.
Gurman seems pretty convinced that the company will not be able to offer something anything near as juicy, going so far as to criticize Apple's AI updates for moving "at a snail's pace."
But with OpenAI's ChatGPT in coordination with Siri, what new changes can we expect that will push Apple further ahead than they could manage alone? Will it be enough to combat what Microsoft has in store at its Build 2024 conference going live on Tuesday?
Can Siri and ChatGPT take on Microsoft Copilot?
In its current state, Siri stands no chance against the offerings seen through other AI. Its cloud-based approach to AI will make some improvements, though, with Gurman reporting its "proactive intelligence" will see enhanced voice capabilities.
He claims we will see features that can summarize notifications or news articles and transcribe voice memos. But is that exciting enough to stand a chance against competitors?
With Microsoft Build 2024 kicking off on Tuesday, Windows Copilot needs to step up to the plate and solidify how its upcoming AI features can push it ahead of the competition.
AI Explorer, a rumored upcoming AI feature that is set to launch with the Windows 11 24H2 update, could push the technology further than what Apple is ready for.
AI Explorer works directly with an NPU to process information on the screen, which allows a user to later call upon Copilot to find what they were looking at in the past. Recipes you were previously browsing could instantly return to the screen.
It would essentially give your computer a memory, remembering what web pages, documents, applications, photos, videos, and more are being used. We don't know what this looks like in application, but it's a pretty exciting prospect on paper.
Apple teaming up with OpenAI is exciting, but the company will have to compete in a quickly growing market. Gurman even claims that Apple executives agree that "they're playing catch-up." In a field where OpenAI, Google, and Microsoft are making as many strides as they are, being so behind is dangerous.
Thanks for the gold, kind stranger
OpenAI and Reddit announced on Thursday that they're in a partnership deal that will "benefit both" communities. For Reddit users, they will have "AI-powered features" brought to them. For OpenAI users, Reddit content is going to be available on ChatGPT and "new products," which will allow the chatbot to access Reddit's Data API. OpenAI is also going to become a Reddit advertising partner.
Considering OpenAI will be intrinsically linked with iPhone, this is inherently to Apple's benefit, but they're not alone. Microsoft similarly uses OpenAI models, which means that the company is going to have trouble solidifying itself as a major player in the AI scene if it's using the technology of its competitors.
Similar to how Apple made the move from using Intel Core processors in its Mac products to its implementation of Apple Silicon, the company will thrive more efficiently if it invests into its own technology.
We've seen incredible performance and staggering battery life from Apple Silicon chips, and while it isn't a perfect direct comparison, who knows what its AI systems will look like if it invests in its own chatbot further down the line?
Until then, though, we need to actually see what Apple is planning to do with its OpenAI partnership to begin with. We'll get more information at WWDC 2024, so until then, keep up with our coverage to see the latest in Apple's AI efforts.
