Apple CEO Tim Cook revealed details about the company’s approach to artificial intelligence and defended its Vision Pro headset in a lengthy interview on Wednesday. In a now-familiar refrain, he discussed the company’s strategic entry into generative AI while responding to criticism of Apple’s seemingly belated response to the AI boom.
“We’ve never talked about charging for this,” Cook said of Apple Intelligence. “We consider it a bit like multitouch, which enabled the revolution of smartphones and the modern tablet.”
Tim Cook talks AI and Vision Pro in an extensive interview with Wired review
Apple Intelligence has been years of preparationa new interview in Wired » reiterated the magazine. Cook explained that the company began laying the groundwork as early as 2017 by integrating neural engines into its products. In 2018, the company made a key decision by hiring John Giannandrea, Google’s top AI executive.
Rather than rushing to market, Cook said, Apple took its trademark measured approach. The company plans to integrate AI capabilities into its product line through software updates. As usual, Apple emphasizes privacy. As such, most AI processing in Apple Intelligence takes place on users’ devices rather than in the cloud, with more complex tasks handled in secure regions of Apple’s data centers.
But AI can also be fun, in addition to its practical uses.
“We are an email-based company and I receive a lot of messages from users, employees, partners, etc. ” Cook said. “The fact that it summarizes the authors’ responses is a game changer, and it’s a game-changer for him to prioritize things so you’re not doing your usual sorting. And then, of course, there are fun things like Image Playground.
Cook noted that Apple has partnered with OpenAI to integrate ChatGPT functionality into its products. Asked about the development of Apple’s large language models, he kept the door open but defended the OpenAI partnership. He said his company chose to work with “the pioneer” in the field.
Vision Pro is for early adopters and healthcare is a life-saving legacy
Regarding the Vision Pro headset, Cook acknowledged its status as an “early adopter product” but expressed optimism about its future, pointing to the growing ecosystem of applications. He suggested that the form factor of the device would evolve, potentially leading to compact AR glasses.
Cook also reiterated a bold prediction about Apple’s legacy, saying the company’s greatest contribution will ultimately be in health care. He highlighted the Apple Watch’s growing range of health monitoring features and revealed that Apple is conducting research into using AI for early medical diagnoses.
The interview touched on recent legal challenges, with Cook defending Apple against the Justice Department’s antitrust lawsuit, calling it “completely wrong.” He highlighted the company’s focus on user experience and privacy.
Privacy and security remain crucial
Throughout the conversation, Cook maintained Apple’s typical stance on privacy. He highlighted how the company plans to integrate AI technology without compromising the security of user data. This balance between innovation and privacy seems to be at the heart of Apple’s strategy as it enters the AI era.
The interview paints a picture of a company we all know. It’s not the first to bring AI capabilities to market, but it is methodically building what it hopes will be a more thoughtful and integrated approach to artificial intelligence across its ecosystem.