Apple’s artificial intelligence efforts are still very much in catch-up mode

When fully released, Apple Intelligence will combine the power of Apple-built generative models with personal context while taking an extraordinary step forward for privacy.
Apple’s new iPad mini supports Apple Intelligence, but Apple’s artificial intelligence play won’t actually begin rolling out until about five days after the new iPad hits stores on October 23rd, highlighting that the company’s artificial intelligence efforts are still very much vaporware.
Apple Intelligence fits the classic definition of “vaporware.” it has a long way to go to match its marketing hype
Mark Gurman for Bloomberg News:
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The first Apple Intelligence features are underwhelming — with the more impressive capabilities coming later. In the iPad mini marketing on Apple’s website, the company spotlights four features; three of them aren’t launching until between December and March.
At the start, the signature feature will be notification summaries. These can be quite helpful — if they’re accurate — but they lack the wow factor of competitors’ offerings. Compared with the latest fare from Google, OpenAI and Meta Platforms Inc., Apple’s AI is still far behind.
Even some internal studies at Apple reflect this, I’m told. The research found that OpenAI’s ChatGPT was 25% more accurate than Apple’s Siri, and able to answer 30% more questions. In fact, some at Apple believe that its generative AI technology — at least, so far — is more than two years behind the industry leaders.
That said, it’s hard to count Apple out. It has a cherished brand, nearly limitless resources, and a history of coming from behind and being successful (see Apple Maps). At some point, Apple will either develop, hire or acquire its way into the top tier of AI companies.

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MacDailyNews Take: Yup. And you read it here first.
Until it gets another visionary leader (fingers crossed; Apple’s history has shown – cough, Sculley, Spindler, cough – that the next CEO could be far, far worse than the very competent caretaker Cook), Apple can afford to miss things like generative AI – which they clearly did – and then use its huge war chest to catch up – which they’re doing right now (fun times and 80-hour weeks inside Apple Park!) – and, hopefully, [someday] surpass rivals (or at least be as good). Apple will very likely unveil their catch-up work within months (this June at WWDC 2024) in iPhones (and iPads, Apple Watches, etc.) with built-in on-device generative AI and other new AI-driven features. – MacDailyNews, February 14, 2024
Apple was caught flat-footed, due to a lack of vision on the part of leadership… So, the only solution is to partner with a [Google, OpenAI, Baidu, etc.] for the real GenAI stuff while pretending (marketing) really hard that some on-device AI Apple has whipped up in a few months is “insanely great Apple innovation” that’s at the heart of Apple’s 2024’s AI announcements when it’s really just an adjunct… Watch Apple make a big show of its on-device AI at WWDC and run many ads touting it from June onwards.
Apple hopes to buy time for the data center buildouts and investments that will be required for them to someday own their own AI technology and not have to license it from the likes of [Google, OpenAI, Baidu, etc.].
This is what happens after a decade plus with a caretaker CEO at the helm after he hits the last page of his iteration playbook, yet attempts to stay in the game for too long. – MacDailyNews, April 1, 2024
Clearly, Apple is not as innovative as it was under Steve Jobs who even started the company’s work on Apple Silicon, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro, but, thanks to Jobs and Cook’s subsequent management of iterations of products and services conceived during Jobs’ tenure, including the retail store buildout which is responsible for a significant portion of Apple’s growth, the company now has more than enough money to make up for Cook’s lack of vision. – MacDailyNews, April 23, 2024
The new “AI features” for iOS, iPadOS, and MacOS to be revealed at WWDC is mainly a marketing exercise. The pressure is on Apple’s marketing team to position the company as an innovator in the space (“only Apple does so much on-device AI which enhances users’ privacy to ‘stunning’ effect,” etc.) that also makes “smart partnerships” with other AI companies (OpenAI, for example; even though it’s currently forced to partner if they want to offer any real GenAI features). Now, more than ever, finding themselves so far behind, Apple needs to sell, sell, sell! – MacDailyNews, May 28, 2024
When you’re caught flat-footed like Tim Cook’s Apple, you pop into scramble mode to try to catch up. Early on, you hit it with a big marketing flourish (WWDC24) in order to buy some more time. Then you dribble out features as they get finished and actually exist. Classic vaporware. – MadDailyNews, July 31, 2024

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