Apple has been slower than its competitors to roll out generative AI.
Apple plans to reveal more about its plans to use generative artificial intelligence later this year, Chief Executive Tim Cook said at the company’s annual shareholder meeting on Wednesday.
Cook said the iPhone maker sees “incredible breakthrough potential in generative AI, which is why we are investing heavily in this area right now. We believe it will provide users with new solutions for productivity, Problems and more lead to transformative opportunities.”
Apple has been slow to roll out generative AI, which can produce human-like responses to written prompts, while rivals such as Microsoft and Alphabet Inc’s Google have built generative AI into their products.
On Wednesday, Cook said artificial intelligence was already at work behind the scenes on Apple products, but said there would be more news about explicit AI capabilities later this year. Bloomberg previously reported that Apple plans to use artificial intelligence to improve the ability to search data stored on Apple devices.
“Every Mac powered by Apple silicon is an incredibly powerful AI machine. In fact, there is no better AI computer on the market today,” Cook said.
Apple shareholders on Wednesday rejected a measure that would have required the company to disclose more information about how it uses artificial intelligence in its business and the ethics of the technology.
The proposal was put forward by the pension trust fund of the AFL-CIO, the largest union federation in the United States. Although it did not pass, it received 37.5% of the vote. The alliance has also proposed artificial intelligence measures to other technology companies.
Compared to other leading technology companies, Apple has consistently lagged behind in disclosing its ethics around the use of artificial intelligence,” AFL-CIO deputy director for business and capital markets Brandon Reese said in a statement said. “We hope Apple will strengthen its disclosure practices to investors and other stakeholders on this important issue. “
Similar proposals will be heard at Walt Disney’s annual meeting in April.
At Apple, the AFL-CIO requires the company to provide a report on “the use of artificial intelligence in its business operations” and disclose any ethical principles adopted by the company in its use of artificial intelligence technology.
In a statement of support included in Apple’s proxy materials, the AFL-CIO wrote, “AI systems should not be allowed to accept claims from creators and rights holders without transparency, consent, and compensation.” Copyrighted works or training in the voice, likeness and performance of a professional performer.”
Apple opposed the measure, saying disclosure could affect its strategy as it competes with rivals in the fast-growing field of artificial intelligence.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
