Apple’s new Vision Pro made its debut promising immersion in apps, games, movies, and the workplace. However, the product is missing Generative AI, which has been the buzz lately in tech. Other tech companies like Google and Microsoft have already speeded up AI deployments. Still, Apple chose to focus on delivering high-end hardware, like the Vision Pro, packed with world-class technology. The lack of generative AI news at WWDC comes a month after Google added conversational AI Bard for search and Workspace products, including an integration with image generator Adobe Firefly. And two weeks after Microsoft extended OpenAI’s ChatGPT and GPT-4 to Bing and Azure cloud offerings, respectively.
Related Articles
Apple could use generative AI in several impactful ways, like giving the Siri voice assistant a more conversational feel or helping Apple Pages compete with auto-suggestions from Google Docs and Microsoft Word. AI that generates images can also hasten the creation of the metaverse. Apple appears to be focused on delivering high-end spatial computing devices instead of entering the highly convoluted and specialized generative AI arms race. This is seen in CEO Tim Cook’s avoidance of using the word metaverse, which has been tainted by Meta’s underperformance.
Matt Turck, an investor at FirstMark Capital, thinks that the lack of generative AI talk from Apple during its WWDC keynote address is a savvy marketing choice. Several AI-powered features were announced, but the lack of generative AI mention gave Vision Pro more limelight. “The reality is that Apple is a bit behind others like Microsoft and Google in generative AI, so it smartly chose to position itself as running its own race in AI, as opposed to trying to play catch-up with others,” he said.
In conclusion, the lack of generative AI news from Apple during its WWDC keynote address may have been a strategic move, considered a savvy marketing choice by some. While other tech giants are speedily deploying AI deployments, Apple is focused on delivering high-end hardware instead of entering the specialized generative AI arms race.
