“We view AI and machine learning as fundamental technologies and they’re integral to virtually every product that we ship,” Cook said in response to a question about generative AI. “And so just recently, when we shipped iOS 17, it had features like personal voice and live voicemail. AI is at the heart of these features.”
Personal voice is a feature that allows users to customize the voice of Siri, Apple’s virtual assistant, by choosing from a variety of options or creating their own. Live voicemail is a feature that transcribes voicemail messages in real time and lets users reply with text or voice.
AI and silicon are key areas of investment
Cook also addressed the question of an approximately $8 billion increase in R&D expenditure, which he indicated will be invested in AI and silicon, as well as products like Apple Vision Pro.
Apple Vision Pro is a new device that combines a high-resolution camera, a LiDAR scanner, and a neural engine to create immersive and realistic 3D models of objects and environments. The device can be used for various purposes, such as education, entertainment, and design.
“AI and silicon are two key areas of investment for us,” Cook said. “We believe that we have a unique opportunity to leverage our expertise in both hardware and software to create powerful and seamless experiences for our customers. Apple Vision Pro is a great example of that.”
Apple’s AI efforts may lead to a more powerful Siri
Many analysts and observers suspect that Apple’s ongoing investments in AI may lead to a more potent Siri, which could compete with other voice assistants such as Amazon’s Alexa and Google’s Assistant. However, Cook did not reveal any specific plans or projects related to Siri’s improvement.
Siri is one of the oldest and most widely used voice assistants in the market, but it has also faced criticism for its limitations and errors. Some of the common complaints include Siri’s inability to understand complex queries, provide relevant information, and perform tasks across different apps and devices.
Apple has been working on enhancing Siri’s capabilities and features, such as adding more languages, domains, and integrations. However, it is not clear if or when Apple will introduce a major upgrade or overhaul for Siri that could leverage its AI and machine learning advancements.
Category: Technology
Meta Description: Apple CEO Tim Cook highlighted the role of AI in the company’s products and future development during the Q4 earnings call.
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