Finance Association, May 6 (Editor Zhao Hao) More than a month ago, Apple announced on its official website that it will hold the “Annual Global Developers Conference” (WWDC) online from June 10 to 15, Beijing time. The press release mentioned that the event was aimed at showcasing cutting-edge innovations in a range of operating systems such as iOS and iPadOS.

At the time, Apple executives also hinted on social media that WWDC will have artificial intelligence (AI) elements. Some analysts believe that this will be the most ambitious software upgrade in iPhone history. This has led to endless discussions in recent months about how Apple's iOS 18 operating system will integrate AI features.

According to tech media reports, as generative AI software continues to spread, it is logical for Apple to improve existing default applications through the Big Language Model (LLM). People familiar with their early work believe that Apple has a clear vision of “AI-enabled applications and services” and has a clear sense of direction.

According to the report, some informants familiar with the software shared some information about Apple's internal AI testing environment. Overall, several standard iPhone system components will soon be the first to receive major AI-related enhancements, including the Safari browser, Spotlight Search (Spotlight Search), and the smart assistant Siri.

AI-driven text summaries

According to several sources, Apple is testing the AI function for the Safari browser that comes with iOS. Generating text summaries is a key part. AI software will be able to analyze keywords and phrases in web pages and documents to generate summaries containing only the most important information for users to quickly read.

During the test, the phone's built-in AI model “Ajax” will extract keywords and phrases from the text and analyze all relevant information. It can identify entities in the text, such as companies, people, and places; if a name appears at the top of the text, the big model will mark it as the author of the text.

Ultimately, the big model provides a simple text summary and uses that summary in response to generate more coherent answers. In Apple's tests, these responses were assessed for accuracy, speed, and other factors. People familiar with Apple's plans added that the smart assistant Siri will also receive similar updates, and Apple is also planning to integrate Siri more closely with information.

Unlike ChatGPT, its core value is that it can generate text without an internet connection and “without cloud processing”, that is, offline response generation technology. According to information, Apple has been exploring this field for more than a year, and the technology is likely to debut at WWDC, providing new capabilities for future iOS devices.

How does it compare to the competition

Currently, browser programs such as Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge are all more or less equipped with AI chatbots. Additionally, Rabbit R1, Humane AI Pin, etc. all integrate AI functions to a certain extent and can be considered competitive products.

However, iPhones equipped with AJAX will overshadow most of them, especially for hardware products such as Rabbit R1 and AI Pin. This hardware requires cloud processing to function, and even requires a monthly subscription to run. In comparison, AI-enabled Siri will have no subscription fees and strong privacy protection.

The report pointed out that since the entire process of analyzing the text is completed on the device, this is expected to give Apple an advantage in competition in the field of privacy protection. However, more complex text summaries and response responses may still require online processing. Apple is allegedly in negotiations on licensing the introduction of OpenAI and Google's cloud technology.

Cook: Will be sharing “some really interesting things” soon

Last week, Apple CEO Tim Cook expressed his strong confidence in AI technology during an earnings call. He predicted that Apple would surpass competitors in the AI field and is expected to lead industry standards.

“These benefits include Apple's seamless integration in hardware, software, and services; innovative Apple chips; leading-edge neural engine technology; and our strong commitment to privacy. It's the cornerstone of all our products and services.”

Cook also revealed that Apple is making a “major investment” in the field of generative AI and will soon share “some very interesting things” with users.

Apple will host a special “Let's Fly” event tomorrow. There is news that the upcoming new iPad Pro will be equipped with an M4 chip or upgraded to “the first iPad with AI features.”