Tim Cook Says Apple Will 'Break New Ground' in Generative AI

[NT1440]

Did someone call for a “goody two-shoes CEO”? Can you quote them if they did? And is “maximizing shareholder value” the best way to achieve satisfying CUSTOMER results? Who exactly is Apple’s customer? You and me or the share holders? Isn’t this all predicated on a capitalist system that we all acknowledge doesn’t always produce the best outcome for the rank and file?

I’m speaking directly to Capitalism, if that clears up the framing of my posts on this topic.

Nobody called for a goody-two shoes CEO, I was laying out the mechanism as to *why* companies operate this way in this system.

As an example, in the US, would it be the RIGHT thing to vote for a measure at Tyson foods to see how many minors are working the slaughterhouse lines? Obviously. Would that *ever* be approved by the few dozen obscenely wealthy people that make up the majority shareholders? Come on now…

 

[spinedoc77]

Good to know Apple's throwing around a few trillions into AI, my only concern is how it will almost definitely be conscripted behind their walled garden.

 

[Surf Monkey]

I’m speaking directly to Capitalism, if that clears up the framing of my posts on this topic.

Nobody called for a goody-two shoes CEO, I was laying out the mechanism as to *why* companies operate this way in this system.

Okay. But I don’t think anyone needed a lesson on that. The point is that the context itself is problematic from a consumer perspective.

 

[Mrkevinfinnerty]

It takes a lot of "courage" to put to bed a project that you have sunk billions into. I find that more encouraging than releasing a product that has no value and no promising future.

Should've done that with the vision pro aswell.

 

[subjonas]

Gee lots of negativity this afternoon. At least wait until you see it in action before you make judgements

That’s not how most people posting on the internet operate. 😂

 

[snek]

My first though is, how is *Apple* going to release anything AI generative. They want to control everything. Everything must be mega politically correct etc. I can't even run my own apps on my own phone, that is how much they trust their users. So how will this work? They must have hired a 10 000 000 person team just banning words? Or is "generative AI" just a memoji tutorial or something lol

 

[twolf2919]

Majority shareholders, so a few dozen people at most. They own all the shares.

That is not true. Every shareholder of record gets to vote on these issues. It's just that most retail investors ignore their brokerages proxy voting invitations. And by default, each share's vote defaults to what the board of directors thinks is appropriate.

 

[NT1440]

Okay. But I don’t think anyone needed a lesson on that. The point is that the context itself is problematic from a consumer perspective.

Clearly when people respond glibly about that provision being voted down being a sign of how evil Tim or the company is…people do need a reminder of the world we live in.

 

[Surf Monkey]

Clearly when people respond glibly about that provision being voted down being a sign of how evil Tim or the company is…people do need a reminder of the world we live in.

Presumptuousness isn’t a great position to adopt. There’s nothing in my post that suggests any of that.

 

[NT1440]

That is not true. Every shareholder of record gets to vote on these issues. It's just that most retail investors ignore their brokerages proxy voting invitations. And by default, each share's vote defaults to what the board of directors thinks is appropriate.

The minutiae of the mechanism is not the point I was making here. When shares get concentrated into a small pool, that pool has more power to enforce its will.

Elon Musk is trying to claw back to something like 24% of one of his companies. Why? Because that gives him defacto control over it.

 

[Rogifan]

So Apple’s gone from never using the word AI to Tim Cook now constantly talking about ‘generative AI’. Is AI really the product though? Wouldn’t it be a feature in one of the OSes and Apple would talk about the feature and not the fact it was based on AI?

 

[NT1440]

Presumptuousness isn’t a great position to adopt. There’s nothing in my post that suggests any of that.

…my discussion on the topic wasn’t aimed at you, it was speaking out loud to a discussion board in response to a post that prompted my thoughts.

If I recall you responded to one of them?

Are forums now treated like direct messages? I’ve been posting this way here since 2008 and only recently do people seem to balk at the idea of a post being “talking out loud” to the room rather than a direct conversation. I post so I can elaborate my thoughts in the hope someone else may want to continue in the discussion.

Nothing about my posts are personal to you, I’m just trying to enjoy the forums like I always have.

 

[SactoGuy18]

While it's an interesting development, I think both Apple and MIcrosoft, plus possibly OpenAI, may have to temporarily back off their AI efforts given the Google Gemini AI debacle. They will need to ensure that Apple's own AI does not cause the type of horrible results that Gemini generated.

 

[cardfan]

All one has to do is use an Echo or Google home/nest device (the latter of which I own and use - Google Nest Audio) and experience the much better experience (vs Siri) ... and one would rightfully be pretty skeptical that Apple is going to blow anyone away in this space.

Love to be shocked -- but it would indeed be a shock

Apple has promised improved Siri for years. This won’t be any different. Just enough to give those that want to hear AI what they want to hear.

 

[Morod]

 

[TracesOfArsenic]

Surprise. Apple can do Software

That's debatable.

 

[cardfan]

You wont see any of those detractors admit they were wrong. They will find the next thing to complain about. Isn't that what the Internet is for?

I find it comical when commenters believe that these projects take just a few months to bring fruit. AVP is the culmination of 50 years of Apple UI development and whey they believe the industry is going. Apple is almost never first but often defines the industry with their implementation.

It’ll be as comical as the Apple car cheerleaders who apparently pivoted to the AI threads.

 

[Harry Haller]

I think Apple will do great in generative AI

Why is that?

 

[tobybrut]

Insert Google Gemini jokes here.

 

[gund1234]

Apple processors are pretty good for AI/ML stuff, i think it is the software that's the problem.

 

[MacDaddyPanda]

And branding will be AI (Apple Intelligence). How come they've never used the colors of the various species of Apples?

 

[Harry Haller]

Welcome to MacRumors where people think they're edgy and cool when they're negative. Doesn't differ that much from other social media really.

I'm not edgy or cool, but I didn't check my brain at the door to the RDF.
If something Apple does is praiseworthy, it gets some.
If not, I'll explain why I think so.
Criticism is not hate and neither is humor about Apple's occasional foibles.

 

[Spotlighter9]

"break new ground" = looks for a small another AI company to acquire...quickly.

 

[NT1440]

"break new ground" = looks for small AI company to acquire...quickly.

They’ve been the number 1 purchaser of AI companies for quite a long time now: https://www.macrumors.com/2021/03/25/apple-ai-acquisitions-2016-to-2020/

That trend from the MR article only accelerated to present day.

Apple’s been working on something internally for quite a while now. I think it’s going to be bigger than people realize it, but I can’t describe exactly what it is. I firmly believe that whatever this big project has been, IT has been the reason Apple has been putting their own NPU’s into every device.

I stated a long time ago that the M1 (at the time) and A series processors have the minimum required hardware for *something* Apple has been working on. I still think I’m right, but can’t explain what “it” is. All I know is it’s going to tie together the Apple ecosystem with functions that no other company will be able to do.

 

[maxfromdenmark]

What will AI called? Apple Intelligence? 🧐