As the world has been taken over by generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT, Apple has stayed almost entirely out of the game. That could all change soon, though, as a new report claims the company is about to bring its own AI — dubbed “Apple GPT” — to a massive range of products and services.
That’s all according to reporter Mark Gurman, who has a strong track record when it comes to Apple leaks and rumors. In his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman alleges that “Apple executives were caught off guard by the industry’s sudden AI fever and have been scrambling since late last year to make up for lost time.”
To do that, Apple plans to infuse generative AI smarts into a wide range of its existing apps. For example, Siri is set for a major overhaul that will see it “deeply implement” content-generating AI, Gurman believes. If Apple can pull it off, it could be the jumpstart Siri needs to catch up with rival services from Google and Amazon.
Elsewhere, Gurman’s report states that generative AI could make its way into apps like Pages, Keynote, Apple Music, and Xcode, where it could automatically create content like playlists, slide decks, and app code. It might also be woven deeply into Apple’s operating systems, including iOS 18, where “the new features should improve how both Siri and the Messages app can field questions and auto-complete sentences.”
All of these improvements will be powered by a large language model called Ajax, which Apple has been testing in its own Apple GPT chatbot. Apple has allegedly been developing this for years, so it could be close to launch.
But when exactly will we see all this AI wizardry? Well, right now that’s uncertain. Gurman says the improved Siri “could be ready as soon as next year, but there are still concerns about the technology and it may take longer for Apple’s AI features to spread across its product line.”
Apple’s approach to user privacy could be one reason for the delay. According to Gurman, there’s debate within Apple over whether to make the upcoming AI features rely on the cloud or on-device processing. The latter would be better for user privacy but could stymy more advanced features, says Gurman, and the journalist thinks Apple may opt for a mixed approach.
While it’s clear that Apple is attempting to play catch-up with its rivals, it still has a long way to go before its AI efforts make it a serious competitor. The next few years will be vital for Tim Cook’s company, and it will be fascinating to see whether it can close the gap with the likes of OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google Bard.
Mozilla is giving Firefox’s Smart Window two new tricks. If you haven’t tried it yet, Smart Window is an optional AI mode in Firefox with a built-in chat that helps you get things done while you browse. With this update, it can fill out online forms using details from your tabs and keep an eye on websites for you.
Tired of typing the same details into every form?
The absolutely absurd idea of putting a touchscreen display on a mouse isn't exactly new. Turtle Beach already did it with its Command Series MC7, which features a 2.25-inch control screen. But apparently, even that wasn't ridiculous enough for Arctic Fox Technologies. Its new Super Mouse looks like someone took the chunky old Atari ST mouse, slapped a touchscreen and scroll wheel on it, and called it an upgrade.
The result is a rather unusual-looking mouse that is now on Kickstarter, starting at $199. And as ridiculous as it looks, some of its features are genuinely intriguing.
Apple is less than a day away from launching its highly anticipated OLED MacBook Pro with a touch-sensitive screen. But it appears that the upgrade is going to cost a pretty penny. According to a report by Bloomberg, Apple is reportedly eyeing a starting price of $2,899 for the 14-inch MacBook Pro, while the 16-inch version could start at $3,399 in the US.
"At $2,899, the 14-inch model would mark the highest starting price for a new MacBook Pro model, surpassing the $2,799 Apple charged for a 17-inch version introduced in 2006," says the report. The report claims that Apple is targeting a minimum price hike of $400 for its upcoming redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models.