During a call with analysts following Apple’s fiscal first-quarter earnings report, CEO Tim Cook hinted at a possible artificial intelligence (AI) announcement from the tech giant later this year.
Cook’s comments, made on Thursday, were brief but suggestive of Apple’s interest in entering the competitive arena of advanced AI models capable of generating text and images, currently dominated by tech giants like Microsoft, Google, and Amazon, as well as research organizations like OpenAI.
“While we look ahead, we will continue to invest in these and other technologies that will shape the future,” Cook stated during the call.
“That includes artificial intelligence, where we continue to spend a tremendous amount of time and effort, and we’re excited to share the details of our ongoing work in that space later this year.”
The interest in generative AI, particularly after OpenAI’s release of ChatGPT and advancements in image generation, has been significant since 2022.
Despite Apple’s long-standing investment in machine learning technology embedded in its chips and software, which enables functionalities like photo recognition, the company did not unveil any advanced AI models last year.
Apple typically unveils new software developments at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June. Last year, the company introduced an autocorrect feature for the iPhone keyboard based on a transformer-based language model, a technology akin to GPT.
However, Apple refrained from explicitly using the term “artificial intelligence” during the presentation, opting for the more technical term “machine learning.”
Addressing the potential for Apple in the realm of AI, Cook remarked, “Let me just say that I think there’s a huge opportunity for Apple with Gen AI and AI, without getting into more details and getting out in front of myself.”
