Tim Cook has just four powerful words to defend Apple coming late to AI
Whether you're intrigued by its potential or are worried it's destined to bring around the end of days, it's time accept that artificial intelligence is coming.
In fact, it's already here.
Elon Musk is busy showing off his AI-powered Tesla Optimus robots, while ChatGPT is warning us about its dangers to humanity. In more mundane corners of life, you can potentially use AI to give you a manicure and even get you off from a speeding ticket...supposedly.
AI can be used for anything and everything, so when it comes to a company as tech-savvy as Apple, you might be wondering why it's taken until the iPhone 16 to really embrace its uses.
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Apple is known for churning out a new iPhone on a yearly basis, and although they sometimes looking like not much has changed, the iPhone is banking big on Apple Intelligence as a one of the iPhone 16's major USPs.
Speaking to The Wall Street Journal's Ben Cohen, Apple CEO Tim Cook used just four simple words to explain why the tech giant is 'late' to the AI party: "Not first, but best."
Although Cook is adamant you can sometimes be the first and the best, he'd rather pick one over the other if forced to compromise: "If we can only do one, there’s no doubt around here. If you talk to 100 people, 100 of them would tell you: It’s about being the best."
During an interview with Caffè Macs on Apple’s campus, Cook reiterated that Apple's top priority is to deliver 'great' products that enrich our lives.
Cook's latest musings come after he told Jimmy Fallon how Apple Intelligence has changed his life. Saying it's up there with the iPod's click wheel and iPhone's touch interface, Cook praised the 'profoundly different' Apple Intelligence and added: "I think we’ll look back and it will be one of these air pockets that happened to get you on a different technology curve."
Even if some think Apple is late to the party, Cook doesn't seem to be too bothered. While not quite in the same boat as the iPhone 16, Cook also has high hopes for $3,500 Apple Vision products.
He admits that although it might not be a 'mass market' project, Apple Vision will be there for those who want to get new tech first. It sounds like he's planning on being the first and best in that market - even if sceptics remain unconvinced on its uses.
We'll have to wait and see whether Apple Intelligence is the 'miracle' Cook heralds it as. Features are due to start rolling out from October 28, 2024, meaning there isn't long to wait to take a peek under the good and see whether this really is the future of AI or just a botched attempt at doing what everyone else is doing. Given Apple's impressive history of innovation, we imagine it's the latter.