Apple is finally set to get serious about AI later this year with iOS 18, but one of the most important AI advancements won’t be handled in-house.
WWDC 2024, Apple’s annual developer conference, has been confirmed for June 10, where it will reveal iPadOS 18, watchOS 11, macOS 15, iOS 18, and visionOS 2. These new updates will come with a slew of improvements but also, finally, concrete plans in regard to Apple’s AI strategy. This is something the company has been infamously guarded about over the recent months, with shareholders shutting down an AI ethics report just last month.
As originally reported by Bloomberg, Apple will not be debuting its own generative AI chatbot this year, and is, instead, in talks with Google and OpenAI to provide the service. It is unsure how far along those talks are. We also don’t know which devices are expected to get AI chatbots yet, with updates planned for all major devices.
As such, it’s not clear whether generative AI will be a feature of the WWDC unveiling, or which company might provide the service. Earlier this week, Gurman stated that iOS 18 won’t have a big focus on ‘ChatGPT-like generative AI features,’ which seems to indicate talks with Google and OpenAI haven’t progressed far enough for a June announcement. According to Gurman’s previous report, “The two parties haven’t decided the terms or branding of an AI agreement or finalized how it would be implemented.” Apple could also partner with different companies in different regions, as the Chinese market could get AI support from Baidu, one of the biggest AI companies in the world.
What else is in the works?
iOS 18 is “considered internally to be the biggest update to iOS since the original iPhone.” Generative AI aside, Gurman says that Apple will debut "a slew of AI tools" that help you manage your daily life. Some of these improvements include AI support for apps like Messages, Pages, and more. With WWDC 2024 confirmed for June 10, we don’t have too long to wait and find out.
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