Apple’s next-gen iPhone operating system, iOS 17, due this fall, will feature an update to autocorrect, powered by AI, that will no longer change the F-word to “duck.”
Caroline Mimbs Nyce for The Atlantic:
Apple’s much-maligned spelling software is getting upgraded by artificial intelligence: Using sophisticated language models, the new autocorrect won’t just check words against a dictionary, but will be able to consider the context of the word in a sentence.
The next generation of autocorrect was one of several small updates to the iPhone experience that Apple announced earlier this month. The Photos app will be able to differentiate between your dog and other dogs, automatically recognizing your pup the same way it recognizes people who frequently appear in your pictures. And AirPods will get smarter about adjusting to background noise based on your listening over time.
All of these features are powered by AI—even if you might not know it from how Apple talks about them. Its conference unveiling the updates included zero mentions of AI, now a buzzword for tech companies of all stripes. Instead, Apple used more technical language such as machine learning or transformer language model. Apple has been quiet about the technology—so quiet that it has been accused of falling behind… But Apple is pushing forward with AI in small ways, an incrementalist approach that nonetheless still might be the future of where this technology is headed…
Like the rest of Silicon Valley, Apple may soon take bigger swings. Daniel Ives, a technology analyst at Wedbush Securities, thinks Apple’s new AI features amount to “just the appetizer before the main entrée.” His team has estimated that the company has spent $8 to $10 billion on AI in the past four or five years—the same amount that Microsoft invested in OpenAI in January — and Apple is reportedly on the hunt for AI talent.
MacDailyNews Take: Apple has made significant strides in the fields of Artificial Intelligence and Machine learning over the years and its efforts are accelerating. Some of Apple’s notable achievements include:
• Core ML: Apple’s Core ML is a framework that allows developers to integrate machine learning models into their iOS apps. Core ML supports a variety of popular machine learning tools and techniques, such as neural networks and decision trees.
• Face ID: Apple’s facial recognition technology, Face ID, uses AI and machine learning to recognize a user’s face and authenticate their identity. Face ID is used on the iPhone and iPad, and is considered one of the most secure forms of biometric authentication.
• Siri: Apple’s voice-activated personal assistant, Siri, is one of the company’s most well-known AI applications. Siri uses natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning to understand and respond to spoken requests from users.
• Apple Neural Engine: Apple’s custom-designed Neural Engine is a chip that is used in some of the company’s devices, including the iPhone and iPad. The Neural Engine is designed specifically for machine learning tasks, and is used to power features like Face ID and Siri.
• Machine Learning Research: Apple also conducts research in the field of machine learning, with a particular focus on developing techniques that can be used to improve user privacy. For example, Apple has developed a technique called “differential privacy,” which allows data to be analyzed without revealing individual users’ personal information.
Overall, Apple has made significant contributions to the field of artificial intelligence, and continues to invest in AI research and development.
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