The iPhone maker unveiled the Siri makeover alongside several other new features at its annual developers’ show.
This effort is part of a new personalized AI system dubbed “Apple Intelligence,” which aims to offer users a more seamless way to navigate Apple devices. Updates to the iPhone and Mac operating systems will enable access to ChatGPT through a partnership with OpenAI. ChatGPT will also be used to enhance other tools, including text and content generation, with the test version set to become available in the autumn.
Apple CEO Tim Cook expressed confidence that this move would elevate the company’s products to new heights. However, the market response was lukewarm, with Apple’s share price falling by 1.91% on the day of the announcement.
The partnership drew criticism from Elon Musk, owner of Tesla and Twitter/X, who threatened to ban iPhones from his companies due to data security concerns. Apple has not responded to Musk’s allegations. Smartphone maker Samsung also took a swipe at its rival, mocking the announcement as lacking in innovation.
The integration of ChatGPT into Apple’s ecosystem marks a significant step for the tech giant, which has traditionally been protective of its products. The move raises questions about whether Apple’s new AI tools will help it catch up with rivals who have been quicker to embrace the technology. Apple was keen to highlight the security of Apple Intelligence, emphasizing that some processing will be done on the device itself, with larger actions sent to the cloud but no data stored there.
This development underscores the growing importance of AI in the tech industry and suggests that even Apple recognizes the need to integrate advanced AI capabilities into its products. While Apple has not named any specific future integrations, it has announced that its mixed reality headset, the Vision Pro, will go on sale in the UK on 12 July, following its release in the US earlier this year. Other new features announced include the ability to send texts via satellite, schedule messages, use head gestures to control AirPods Pro, and a dedicated app for passwords accessible across devices.
