Long perceived as lagging in artificial intelligence, Apple has begun to quietly ramp up its AI efforts significantly, spending millions per day according to a new report by The Information.
Apple’s answer to the generative AI explosion is called Ajax GPT and insiders believe that it is more powerful than OpenAI’s ChatGPT 3.5.
According to the article, Ajax GPT has been trained on a massive data set including over 200 billion parameters.
Once the tool is released Apple believes it will likely be paired with products like its voice assistant Siri enabling it to carry out complex multistep requests via voice request.
Apple has quietly been building AI capabilities via acquisitions and key hires such as the former head of Google AI John Giannandrea in 2018, and Dr. Samy Bengio in 2021 who serve as SVP of Machine Learning and AI Strategy and Senior Director, AI & Machine Learning Research respectively.
In 2019, Apple purchased drive.ai, a self-driving startup, to bolster its autonomous vehicle initiative Project Titan.
That same year, Apple acquired Xnor.ai, an edge AI specialist, strengthening on-device intelligence capabilities.
At its 2022 Worldwide Developer Conference, Apple showcased improved AI-enabled products like advanced dictation, enhanced Maps, and the ability for Apple Watch to track running form.
However, some analysts criticize Apple as still lagging behind peers like Google and Amazon in cloud-based AI services. Its strict focus on user privacy limits large-scale data collection needed to train cutting-edge AI models.
Undeterred, Apple continues its singular approach – eschewing data-hungry tactics and aiming to keep AI processing on-device rather than the cloud.
With innovative custom silicon like its Neural Engine chip enabling on-device intelligence, Apple’s vision is an AI that is effortlessly integrated into its products.
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