Apple CEO Tim Cook to announce Apple AI soon, likely with iOS 18 at WWDC in June

During its quarterly earnings call, Apple CEO Tim Cook provided a rare insight into the company’s future product plans, specifically referencing Apple’s investments in AI. Cook expressed excitement about revealing the details of Apple’s ongoing work in the AI space later this year, fueling speculation that iOS 18, to be unveiled at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June, will showcase extensive AI features. Apple is reportedly positioning iOS 18 as one of its most substantial updates, emphasizing deep integration of AI technologies throughout the system. References in iOS 17.4 code hinted at Apple testing its own large language model, codenamed Ajax, alongside other technologies such as ChatGPT. On the earnings call, Tim Cook addressed Apple’s commitment to investing in technologies that shape the future, including AI. He mentioned, “We continue to spend a tremendous amount of time and effort in [AI], and we’re excited to share details of our ongoing work in that space later this year.” These comments appear to respond to industry and investor narratives suggesting that Apple is lagging behind competitors like Microsoft and Google in shipping generative AI features, despite not doing so in 2023. Apple’s focus on AI is expected to bring significant enhancements to Siri, the company’s voice assistant. A potential ‘Siri 2.0’ reimplementation, leveraging modern generative AI large language models, could reshape the perception of Siri if executed effectively. The company also plans to incorporate AI features across the iPhone operating system, introducing smart replies in Messages, playlist recommendations in Apple Music, and more. Although Cook’s remarks did not explicitly mention WWDC, the timeline of “later this year” aligns with Apple’s usual schedule of announcing major software updates, including iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS, at the developer conference in June, with the operating systems slated for release in the fall. Apple’s commitment to unveiling details about its AI advancements later this year suggests that the upcoming WWDC could be a significant platform for showcasing the company’s strides in artificial intelligence. (With inputs from agencies)