Tim Cook joins the AI race as Apple tests AI chatbot

In a long-anticipated move, tech giant Apple has entered the generative AI arena to compete for the coveted artificial intelligence crown, held by OpenAI's ChatGPT.

According to reports from Bloomberg, the company is discreetly working on a new AI tool internally referred to as "Apple GPT," drawing inspiration from the groundbreaking ChatGPT.

Apple's entry into generative AI stems from its efforts to harness the potential of AI technology in its products. The company's engineers have been crafting the AI chatbot service on a foundation of proprietary models, utilising a framework named Ajax, which was initially developed last year and currently operates on Google Cloud infrastructure.

The release of ChatGPT by OpenAI sparked a wave of generative AI development from rival companies such as Microsoft's Bing Chat and Bing Image Creator, Google's Bard, and various other AI implementations by Meta and more. Not wanting to be left behind, Apple has started working on its own version of generative AI.

The progress of Apple GPT, however, has not been without its challenges. Security concerns have caused stop-and-go traffic in the development process, leading to cautiousness among executives regarding its public rollout. Currently, the AI tool is accessible only to select Apple employees, who require special approval for access. Additionally, strict guidelines prevent users from utilising the output to create customer-bound features.

Despite the secrecy surrounding Apple's AI Chatbot, the tech community was surprised when Apple barely mentioned AI during its recent Worldwide Developer's Conference in June. Mark Gurman, a technology journalist with Bloomberg, explained that AI has indeed been a major focus for Apple in recent months, but the company's teams are not yet ready to share detailed information with the public.

Apple's CEO, Tim Cook, has remained relatively tight-lipped about adopting generative AI into more of the company's products, although he has acknowledged using ChatGPT himself. Cook cited security concerns as a primary consideration, recognising the vast potential of the technology but also acknowledging the crucial issues that must be resolved before widespread adoption.

Apple has already integrated AI capabilities into its software across all its devices through machine learning, particularly with its virtual assistant Siri, which utilises natural language processing powered by the Ajax framework. However, developing a successful generative AI chatbot has proven to be a formidable challenge for the company, requiring careful strategy and deliberation before potential commercialisation.