Apple CEO Tim Cook said his company is investing in artificial intelligence. The company sees “incredible breakthrough potential for generative artificial intelligence, which is why we are now investing heavily in this area,” Cook said at Apple's annual shareholder meeting.
“We believe this will open up new possibilities for our users when it comes to productivity, problem solving, and more,” the Apple executive added. < /p>
Apple has yet to introduce competing products for AI models such as OpenAI's GPT or Google's Gemini, but Tim Cook has hinted that a major announcement in this area will come this year. Apple typically announces new software products and features in June at its annual developer conference.
He also reframed several of Apple's announced products as “AI-powered” to emphasize that the company has been working on the technology for years. In the past, the company has tended to avoid the term AI in favor of machine learning. Current features that use Apple's artificial intelligence technology include the Vision Pro hand tracking tool and Apple Watch heart rate alerts, Cook said. He also said that Apple's chips in MacBooks are capable of handling AI tasks.
“Artificial intelligence is woven into our users’ lives to accomplish tasks ranging from the mundane to the essential,” Cook said. “Artificial intelligence allows Apple Watch to help you track your workouts by automatically detecting whether you're walking or going for a swim. This allows your iPhone to call for help if you're in a car accident.”