Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook, recently shed some light on the company’s plans for artificial intelligence (AI) during an earnings call with investors. While Cook didn’t reveal too much, he did confirm that Apple would be taking a “hybrid” approach to AI, similar to its strategy with other cloud services. This means that Apple won’t be building too many new data centers to run or train AI models.
One interesting aspect that Cook mentioned is that Apple sees AI as an opportunity across most of its device lineup, not just the iPhone. This aligns with the company’s previous claims that its MacBook Airs are the best consumer laptops for AI. Cook also highlighted how AI is already being used in features like irregular heart rhythm notifications and fall detection on the Apple Watch. Furthermore, he mentioned that big companies are exploring the use cases for Vision Pro in enterprise settings.
Despite these remarks, it’s unlikely that Apple will announce any major AI-related news at its upcoming iPad event. Cook stated that any impact from generative AI wouldn’t be seen within the next quarter or so. However, he expressed optimism about the technology’s potential.
The confusion around Apple’s AI announcements arose from a misinterpretation of Cook’s statement. Although a CNBC news story initially suggested that there would be big AI plans announced at both the iPad event and Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June, subsequent corrections clarified that Cook’s statement wasn’t linked to both events. Instead, he was referring to Apple’s plans from an AI perspective.
One of the most significant revelations about Apple’s AI investments came from Apple CFO Luca Maestri during the earnings call. Maestri explained that Apple pursues a hybrid model for its capital expenditures (CapEx), which includes investments in servers, data centers, and more. This suggests that Apple may not need to spend on CapEx for AI since it won’t be immediately building and training large language models (LLMs) on its own servers. This could also indicate that Apple is considering partnerships with third parties for AI services. Reports have already surfaced about discussions with OpenAI and Google for an AI chatbot in an upcoming iOS update.
Overall, Apple’s approach to AI seems to be focused on integrating it across its product lineup and potentially leveraging external partnerships for AI services. While the company may not be making major announcements in the near term, its hybrid model and partnerships with third parties indicate a strategic direction for Apple’s AI ambitions.