Apple's Push Into AI Allegedly Happened After Craig Federighi Tried Microsoft AI Coding Tool
How did Craig Federighi's experimentation with GitHub Copilot in December 2022 impact Apple's AI strategy in iOS 18?
Craig Federighi's experimentation with GitHub Copilot in December 2022 played a significant role in shaping Apple's AI strategy in iOS 18. After using the AI coding tool, Federighi became a convert and appreciated the potential of generative AI. This led him to direct engineering teams to explore and integrate AI-powered features into Apple's apps and services.
As a result, Apple accelerated its development of internal generative AI, recruiting former Apple Car employees to work on the technology. The company also held discussions with external partners like OpenAI and Google. This shift in focus is expected to bring AI features to key Apple apps, including Messages, Mail, and Photos, as well as an overhaul of Siri with a more advanced AI model.
In summary, Federighi's experience with GitHub Copilot served as a catalyst for Apple's increased emphasis on AI in iOS 18, leading to the integration of AI capabilities in numerous Apple apps and services3.
What are some of the new AI features that Apple plans to integrate into iOS 18, as mentioned in the article?
Apple plans to integrate several new AI features into iOS 18, as mentioned in the article. Some of these features include:
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Smarter Siri: Apple's voice assistant, Siri, will be revamped with generative AI, making it more intelligent and capable. Siri will be able to manage all features within apps, allowing users to control singular functions on various apps with their voice.
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Auto-generated emojis: Apple will use generative AI to create custom emojis on the fly, based on the content of users' messages6.
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Suggested replies to emails and messages: iOS 18 will offer suggested replies to emails and messages using AI, making it quicker and easier for users to respond6.
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Photo retouching: AI-powered photo editing features are expected to be added to the Photos app in iOS 18, such as AI-based photo editing, object removal, and a new Clean Up feature that uses generative AI software6.
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Voice memo transcription: Apple plans to use AI to transcribe voice memos, making it easier for users to review and organize their recordings.
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Improved Safari web search: AI will be used to enhance web searches in Safari, providing faster and more reliable search results.
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Smart recaps of missed notifications: iOS 18 will use AI to generate smart recaps of missed notifications and individual messages, web pages, news articles, documents, and notes, allowing users to catch up more efficiently.
These AI features are expected to be showcased during Apple's WWDC keynote on June 10, with some features running on-device and others operating via the cloud.
What specific experience with GitHub Copilot influenced Craig Federighi's perspective on AI and its potential integration into Apple's software?
Craig Federighi's perspective on AI and its potential integration into Apple's software was influenced by his experience with GitHub Copilot in December of 2022. After "playing around" with the AI coding tool introduced by Microsoft-owned GitHub, Federighi became an AI "convert" and reportedly tasked engineering employees with creating new ways to integrate AI features into Apple's apps and features. This experience led to Apple's heavy focus on artificial intelligence in iOS 18 and the incorporation of AI into the operating system in a number of ways, including Messages, Mail, Photos, and other key apps4.