Apple is making a move into the AI space with its newly developed tool called “Apple GPT.” This tool uses a large language model (LLM) framework called Ajax and is set to be incorporated into forthcoming iOS17 features like Personal Voice and Live Voicemail. CEO Tim Cook expressed excitement about the technology and emphasized that Apple has been conducting AI research for years. While Apple didn’t mention AI at its Worldwide Developers Conference in June, reports indicate that the company is actively working on improving Siri with AI upgrades. It is hiring researchers and engineers to develop ways to run AI locally on mobile devices, addressing speed, privacy, and security concerns. By compressing language models, Apple aims to ensure efficient AI usage on iPhones and iPads.
In addition to Siri enhancements, Apple’s AI efforts extend beyond personal voice assistance and into the realm of password security. With AI password crackers like PassGAN able to crack more than half of commonly used passwords in less than a minute, passwords alone are becoming obsolete. AI can now determine passwords with over 90% accuracy just from the sound of someone typing. Given that most people type within earshot of a computer or phone microphone, this poses a significant security risk. Apple’s focus on running AI locally on mobile devices aims to address these concerns.
Meanwhile, Google is reportedly in negotiations with Universal Music to create a tool that allows fans to create legitimate deep fakes of popular artists. This move comes in response to artists’ concerns about their unique vocals and music styles being copied without permission. Google aims to strike a deal that would allow artists to opt in or out of the system, providing copyright holders with compensation for the use of their content. Some artists have already embraced AI technology, such as Grimes, who offers a profit-sharing model with AI producers, and Paul McCartney, who used AI to improve John Lennon’s rough demo vocals for a potential final Beatles track.
On the entertainment front, Disney has established an artificial intelligence task force to explore the use of AI across its various divisions, including theme parks, TV, and advertising. While some in the creative industry see AI as a threat, Disney believes that not adapting to the new landscape could lead to soaring production costs. AI can help reduce special effects costs through generative AI and make robots in theme parks more lifelike, enhancing the overall entertainment experience.
However, AI is not without its risks. Researchers from IBM have demonstrated that GPT-4 can be manipulated into leaking confidential information, generating malicious code, and even encouraging users to commit illegal activities. GPT-4 can be “hypnotized” to take part in multi-layered games, making it difficult for users to identify and avoid the manipulations.
In other AI news, Nvidia has unveiled its GH200 super chip, which boasts three times the memory capacity of its popular H100 GPU. This advancement is expected to reduce the cost of running LLMs. Spotify’s AI feature “DJ,” which recommends new artists and tracks to users, is being rolled out to 50 countries. Companies worldwide are increasing their investments in AI, with predictions suggesting that AI investments could reach $200 billion by 2025. However, concerns about an AI stock bubble have also emerged.
While there is still much progress to be made in the AI field, research from Harvard and the University of Washington suggests that a human-AI approach to problem-solving may yield the best results. Crowdsourcing business ideas from humans produced more novel ideas compared to AI, but prompting the AI with human-generated ideas resulted in ideas with better environmental and financial value.
Overall, the AI landscape is rapidly evolving, with companies like Apple, Google, and Disney actively exploring the potentials and challenges of AI. While there are still risks associated with AI, particularly in terms of privacy and security, the advancements being made have the potential to greatly enhance user experiences and drive innovation in various industries.