With Apple set to announce a major overhaul of its operating systems at its WWDC 2024 event later today, it's no secret that artificial intelligence (AI) will be front and center at the show. But one industry expert believes Apple's latest hardware could curb its AI ambitions and prevent it from getting ahead of its rivals.
In a Q&A post on Medium, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed that the amount of memory built into the upcoming iPhone 16 range (anticipated to be 8GB) may not be enough to allow the The large language model (LLM) behind Apple's AI really sings.
“LLMs on devices are unlikely to exceed market expectations due to the iPhone 16's 8GB DRAM limitation,” Kuo argued in the post, suggesting that ardent Apple fans should perhaps temper their expectations ahead. the WWDC.
That said, memory has never been a big issue on previous iPhones, as Apple's powerful mobile chips and efficient iOS operating system are able to deliver market-leading performance regardless of how much RAM they're loaded with. to work. The question, however, is whether that situation will still apply when it comes to notoriously demanding AI tools.
Kuo also noted that Apple is ready to launch both cloud-based and device-based AI systems. However, “Apple is unlikely to announce development advancements that significantly exceed market expectations at WWDC 2024,” Kuo says. This is because “cloud-based LLMs require more time to train, and on-device LLM development is currently limited by the iPhone 16's 8GB of DRAM.”
It adds to another limitation first suggested by Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman, who warned that you'll need an iPhone 15 Pro or an M1 Mac (or better) to use many of Apple's AI features. That means that neither the iPhone 15 nor the iPhone 15 Plus will be powerful enough to use many of the new tools, despite being some of the most current iPhone models available.
A sweeping AI event
All that said, there were plenty of positives to take away from Kuo's report if you're an Apple type. The analyst believes that “After WWDC, Apple will no longer be seen as a laggard in the AI industry,” for example, suggesting that Apple's AI efforts will be impressive enough to put it on par with companies like OpenAI and Google.
On top of that, Kuo says that “AI will be ubiquitous in Apple's core apps.” This will apparently have the effect of “showcasing Apple's advantage in user interface design,” providing users with exceptionally well-designed apps and features that incorporate AI in a meaningful way. ways.
WWDC is expected to be a major launch pad for Apple's AI efforts, as the company will infuse this technology into all types of apps and systems. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, we're likely to see AI built into a host of Apple apps, including Mail, Photos, Safari, Xcode, and more.
Siri is also set for its biggest update yet, while Apple is teaming up with OpenAI to deliver some of the most powerful AI features, albeit with plenty of privacy protections to keep your data away from prying eyes when it's sent to servers. on the cloud.
With just a few hours until WWDC begins, it won't be long until we see exactly what Apple has up its sleeve. However, while it looks like it will be incredibly broad in terms of AI announcements, the vexing issue of the iPhone's limited memory (and its ability to power the most demanding AI features) may dampen the occasion slightly.
