Apple Intelligence has stood tall as the company's torchbearer in the AI race with Meta, Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI. While the AI toolkit was first announced in June's WWDC 2024, it's going to be partially released alongside the iOS 18.1 update next week, making some basic features available to eligible devices. However, users still need to wait until early 2025 to get a full taste of Apple Intelligence.
While Apple Intelligence is certainly a welcome addition to compatible iPhones, it is unlikely to be able to make a splash in the market, especially when you compare it with rival platforms like OpenAI's ChatGPT or Google's Gemini. That said, even some Apple employees believe the Cupertino firm is lagging behind rivals in terms of AI development.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman says Apple insiders have apprised him of internal studies proving that ChatGPT was 25 percent more accurate than Siri and able to answer 30 percent more questions. Ultimately, Apple employees have concluded that their company is over two years behind industry leaders.
Looking at the competitors' offerings, you can tell that those skeptic Apple employees are not far off base. The upcoming iOS 18.1 update brings features such as a Clean Up tool in Photos, Writing Tools, and text and notification summaries to eligible devices. To be fair, these are not the kinds of features that an iPhone 16 owner wants to flaunt to an Android friend.
Meanwhile, it would be a mistake to underestimate Apple's ability to compete in the AI race. The tech giant, while not always the first to innovate, has a strong track record of catching up with and even surpassing the competition. With the potential to recruit top talent and expand the reach of its AI toolkit to more devices, including the M4 Macs, new iPads, and the upcoming iPhone SE 4, Apple is well-positioned to close the gap.
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