Since the turn of July 2023, there have been numerous reports suggesting that Apple might be working on developing its own large language model. Similar to the existing collaborations between tech giants like OpenAI and Microsoft in the case of Bing and ChatGPT, Apple, too, aims to bring a ChatGPT alternative to the market. Currently referred to as “Apple GPT,” there’s no official confirmation of the name from the firm. Given that the market is already ripe for the picking and with mounting competition, Apple considers this a ripe period for entering the AI space and providing alternatives to ChatGPT and Google Bard. Despite no concrete information about launch dates, use cases, or expected timelines, there exist speculative details surrounding Apple AI’s long-awaited offering to the world of chatbots.
As AI enthusiasts and developers wait with bated breath for Apple to make announcements regarding its AI venture, it is expected that Apple’s AI chatbot will also be linked to its current ambit of AI offerings and assistants such as Siri and iMessage. Apple AI’s entry into the artificial intelligence and machine learning market will further push forth the global wave of AI development since another tech giant’s entry signals better confidence in minor players and investors alike. The core intent remains simple—create a chatbot capable of indulging in human-like conversation, while also being adept at generative AI use cases. This article looks at the various reports of Apple’s AI chatbot and its purported features.
An Overview of “Apple GPT”
Scant details are available surrounding Apple GPT, but Apple’s AI chatbot is currently undergoing extensive internal testing.
The rumored Apple GPT is supposedly based on Apple’s own internal AI framework named “Ajax.” Apple has been working on its AI chatbot capabilities for years and was among the first to introduce AI assistants to users through its products. However, the more recent updates to Apple’s famed AI assistant—Siri—have been rather superficial, and there haven’t been too many groundbreaking changes to it. Moreover, OpenAI’s success with ChatGPT and its subsequent GPT-4 release have aided the firm with a head start against other major tech brands like Google and Apple. The former, however, launched its own AI chatbot named Bard in the aftermath of OpenAI’s success and began to make its impressions on the market. Apple, on the other hand, has so far been absent from the AI chatbot boom, with several tech enthusiasts and developers awaiting the firm’s entry into the niche. Given that generative AI has gained considerable importance in the ever-evolving tech space, Apple is looking to deploy its Ajax framework to build a language model and an associated chatbot that can compete with its rivals and enter the market as a potent competitor.
The trusted framework that helped develop Siri and even Apple Maps is now being utilized to put together an LLM that can add to the technology a unique flavor alongside satisfying user needs. Apple’s CEO—Tim Cook—has mentioned that the firm has several years’ worth of research that can back up its current efforts to create a market-worthy chatbot for its users. As users still await news of the chatbot, the firm is busy testing it internally within closed circles. Access to the chatbot has been broadened to include larger numbers of employees; however, the exact functions of Apple’s AI chatbot are not yet known. The primary purpose of the Apple chatbot currently remains restricted to product prototyping and is not being extended to develop customer-facing features or products. As a firm, Apple doesn’t seem to be in any rush to release the chatbot to customers and is expected to run the chatbot through several rounds of testing before it gets a formal launch.
The Making of ChatGPT Competitor: What Can Apple’s AI Chatbot Do?
Despite being late to the market, Apple brings promise because of its proven track record and top-notch products.
While the exact information surrounding the capabilities of Apple’s chatbot is yet to be ascertained, it can be stated that the company aims to offer all the services its competitors currently present to users, alongside Apple’s unique touch to the chatbot interface. The origin of Apple GPT came from the firm’s safety concerns surrounding third-party chatbots and tools leaking internal information. Currently, the version used by Apple’s employees is fairly bare bones, replicating features presented by other chatbots such as text generation, summarization, and answering simplistic questions. It is accessible on the web to Apple’s employees but still needs a good deal of development before it can be made commercially available for Apple’s clients and users. The firm’s engineers are still running several iterations of plans to look at a potential consumer perspective on the chatbot they’re developing. News on whether or not there’s a concrete plan on the front is scant, and the chatbot is expected to take a considerable amount of time to refine and present to the larger public.
Since the development pipeline is still nebulous, conservative estimates place the launch date as Apple’s chatbot release in the early months of 2024. In its run-up to creating its own AI framework, Apple has also tested OpenAI’s offerings and ran corporate trials of its frameworks. Clearly, the firm has decided to develop its own technologies and confront its rivals head-on. Now that Google and OpenAI even have platforms such as Codey and Advanced Data Analysis that can analyze and edit code efficiently, Apple is looking to create a product that can offer a potent alternative to existing offerings on a rather tight schedule.
The Outlook for Apple’s ChatGPT Alternative
Despite stiff competition and existing major players, the chatbot market looks promising.
While Apple might be relatively late to begin explorations into AI chatbot possibilities, its focus on quality and adding a unique angle to the product might pay off in the long run. Despite limited information being available regarding the development, it is expected that the chatbot might come with Apple’s unique attention to detail. That being said, firms like Apple might be taking a closer look at the principles of responsible AI and the challenges faced by major competitors in the same niche. With AI-generated content making it into just about every form of media consumed by prospective customers, it remains lucrative for tech giants to explore their options when it comes to creating AI chatbots and large language models.
FAQs
1. What is Apple GPT?
Apple GPT is a rumored AI chatbot from Apple that might end up competing with other chatbots such as Bard and ChatGPT. While the details are still scant, developers expect the chatbot to be capable of generative capabilities such as text generation, summarization, and answering simple questions.
2. Is Apple’s AI chatbot available for use?
Apple’s AI chatbot is currently under development and is undergoing detailed internal testing in the firm. So far there are no concrete details on when the chatbot will be available to the public; however, experts are estimating an early 2024 release for Apple’s ChatGPT alternative.
3. What framework is the Apple chatbot based on?
It is reported that Apple’s AI chatbot is based on the famed Ajax framework developed by the company for its AI applications. While the exact functioning of the framework is not entirely clear, it has made contributions to important offerings of the firm such as Siri and Apple Maps.