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Apple is about to \u201cgo all in\u201d on artificial intelligence, but not in the way you might expect. While rivals like OpenAI and Google push the boundaries of generative AI at a breakneck pace, Apple has opted for a more measured approach. In an interview with WSJ\u2019s Joanna Stern, Apple\u2019s software chief Craig Federighi explained why the company is being cautious as it ramps up its AI capabilities, especially with Siri, its voice assistant.<\/p>\n
The Future of Siri: A Smarter, More Personal Assistant<\/strong><\/p>\n Federighi spoke candidly about Siri\u2019s journey, admitting that while it already processes an astounding 1.5 billion requests per day, there\u2019s much more to come. \u201cThis power of Apple intelligence and large language models means that Siri can understand you better than ever before and is going to have access to more tools on your device to do more for you than ever before,\u201d Federighi said. \u201cWe looked at this as not how do we build another chatbot and bolt it on the side of our existing experience, but how do we create something that\u2019s deeply integrated and personal,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n However, this transformation won\u2019t happen overnight. Federighi stressed that the improvements to Siri will arrive incrementally. \u201cThis is a big lift, and we feel like we want to get it right. This is a many-year, honestly even decades-long arc of this technology playing out, and so we\u2019re going to do it responsibly,\u201d he explained. While some features, such as deeper contextual understanding (like recalling the name of someone you met months ago), are on the horizon, Siri\u2019s growth will unfold gradually over the next few years.<\/p>\n Apple Intelligence: More Than Just Generative AI<\/strong><\/p>\n The concept of \u201cApple Intelligence,\u201d introduced earlier this year, goes beyond the flashy chatbot experiences seen elsewhere. It involves a set of advanced AI tools tailored specifically to Apple\u2019s ecosystem, from smarter notifications to more intuitive personalisation across devices. But Apple\u2019s approach, unlike its competitors, is centred on privacy.<\/p>\n Instead of relying heavily on cloud-based AI, Apple is developing its AI to run directly on users\u2019 devices, ensuring data remains private. \u201cWe looked at this as not how do we build another chatbot and bolt it on the side of our existing experience, but how do we create something that\u2019s deeply integrated and personal,\u201d Federighi said. This vision relies on the concept of \u201cprivate cloud compute,\u201d a system where AI models are run locally on your iPhone, with cloud processing only used when necessary, and in a highly encrypted, privacy-respecting manner.<\/p>\n Federighi acknowledged that this approach is more difficult to execute but said it\u2019s essential to protect user data. \u201cFor many companies, I think their answer is \u2018send us all your data, store all your data with us.\u2019 But as a user, you\u2019re not quite sure, is that all they\u2019re going to do? What are they going to do with it in the future?\u201d Apple, he stressed, wants to ensure its AI models protect user privacy at every step.<\/p>\n Why the Delay? A Deliberate Strategy<\/strong><\/p>\n Apple\u2019s cautious entry into AI is not due to a lack of ambition but rather a desire to execute each step with precision. With the upcoming iOS 18.1, the first batch of Apple Intelligence features will roll out, but many of the flagship tools shown at Apple\u2019s June event are still in development.<\/p>\n Federighi explained the delay, saying, \u201cWe knew at the time when we started out this year that the breadth of our vision for Apple Intelligence\u2026 was not all of it landing in September with a bang.\u201d Apple\u2019s philosophy, he said, is to avoid rushing. \u201cYou could put something out there and have it be sort of a mess, or\u2026 let\u2019s try to get each piece right and release it when it\u2019s ready.\u201d<\/p>\n Privacy-First AI: Apple\u2019s Competitive Edge<\/strong><\/p>\n In a market where many tech companies are vying to be first, Apple\u2019s emphasis on privacy sets it apart. Federighi was clear that Apple\u2019s AI won\u2019t function like OpenAI\u2019s GPT models, which process every query through cloud servers. Instead, Apple\u2019s AI will function directly on the user\u2019s device whenever possible, tapping into the cloud only when absolutely necessary.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are some cases\u2014let\u2019s take a long-form summarisation\u2014an on-device model could try to do that but would probably not provide the best result,\u201d Federighi explained. \u201cIf we run that in the cloud, it can both be faster in that case and also provide a higher-quality result. But the important part is that message you asked to be summarised was encrypted to a trusted device in the cloud\u2026 and never recorded anything about that data.\u201d<\/p>\n This privacy-first approach, while technically challenging, is core to Apple\u2019s brand, and Federighi took a subtle dig at companies that rely heavily on cloud processing. \u201cIt\u2019s hard to build, for one, and I think it also runs counter to many companies\u2019 entire philosophy about how they see data,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n AI Tools: From Funny Notification Summaries to Photo Cleanup<\/strong><\/p>\n One of the current Apple Intelligence features, notification summaries, has already drawn both praise and humour. Federighi shared an anecdote about the AI summarising a break-up text. \u201cThere was a story recently about someone who got broken up with, and it gave a very clinical description of what had happened. No one wants to get broken up with on a text anyway,\u201d he joked.<\/p>\n Another popular feature, photo clean-up, allows users to remove unwanted elements from images, such as a water bottle or microphone. Federighi emphasised that while Apple made this small concession, it remains mindful of maintaining authenticity in photos. \u201cThere were a lot of debates internally\u2014do we want to make it easy to remove that water bottle? Because that water bottle was there when you took the photo.\u201d<\/p>\n What\u2019s Next?<\/strong><\/p>\n While Apple is taking its time with AI, the future looks promising. Siri is getting smarter, privacy is prioritised, and Apple Intelligence is poised to redefine personal computing. Yet, Federighi\u2019s closing remarks were clear: this is a journey that will unfold over years, not months. \u201cThis isn\u2019t a one-and-done kind of situation\u2026 This is a many-year, honestly decades-long arc of this technology playing out, and so we\u2019re going to do it responsibly.\u201d<\/p>\n For users eager for the next AI breakthrough, it might be a waiting game, but Apple is betting that its slow, careful approach will ultimately pay off in the long run.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n