Apple has an internal chatbot, dubbed “Apple GPT” in the works implying the company must have recognized the strong appeal and power of GenAI to focus efforts on challenging OpenAI, Alphabet’s Google Bard, and others in the same field.
Apple and GenAI
According to Bloomberg, Apple has developed its unique framework and has an internal foundation for AI called Ajax to create large language models (LLMs) which are core to new GPT offerings.
Apple could be considering integrating these new technologies into future products like iPhones.
Access to the chatbot today is restricted within Apple and no significant AI announcement is expected before 2024, according to Bloomberg.
Apple already uses machine learning algorithms in its products, including Siri speech recognition and Photos apps’ ability to detect faces and pets.
Apple is a latecomer to the GPT scene as Microsoft has already integrated OpenAI’s ChatGPT into its software, Google has plugged Bard into its search engine, Amazon will offer LLMs through its AWS cloud infrastructure and Meta is making a commercial version of its artificial intelligence model freely available.
Read: Apple’s App Store generated more billings in 2022 than Netherlands’ GDP
Meta’s LLMs
A new version of a Meta LLM, called Llama 2, will be distributed by Microsoft through its Azure cloud service and will run on the Windows operating system, Meta said in a blogpost.
Meta previously provided the model only to choice academics for research purposes, but will also make the technology available via direct download and via AWS.
Last Tuesday, Qualcomm, makers of processors for Apple competitor phones, announced that if Meta LLMs work on Android devices, it would collaborate with the company directly instead of doing it via a cloud service.
Meta plans to open access to the code behind its latest AI technology means that developers and software enthusiasts can freely access and leverage Meta’s advanced AI competencies.
Open source technology
However, Meta requires that companies with at least 700 million monthly active users (MAUs) need to seek a license from Meta.
This could make Meta’s AI technology off-limits to a few notable competitors in the social media sector who could decline the stipulation.
Companies like Snapchat which reached 750 million MAUs, TikTok which will have nearly 835 million MAUs worldwide this year, and Chinese social media WeChat which hit 700 million MAUs in 2016, could bide their time for a better offer from Meta or seek a better deal from LLM competitors.
Some social media companies like Snap released their own AI chatbots but usually under the auspices of technology developed by established companies like OpenAI.
Despite its open source claims, the Meta clause could lock out its social media rivals in the race to amass AI technology in the hope of gaining an edge over them, should they bide their time.
Open source drives innovation
“Open source drives innovation because it enables many more developers to build with new technology,” Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in Tuesday’s announcement.
Another clause Meta put in place within LLaMa 2’s commercial terms is that users can’t make use of the AI to improve other LLMs besides Llama 2.
It’s becoming increasingly industry standard for software companies to introduce limits about who can use code and how, while still making that source code available to the public for no cost.
Licensing restrictions on AI tools can help prevent rogue players from misusing the technology.
Meta already announced partnerships with Spotify, LG, and Qualcomm during Tuesday’s LlaMa 2 announcement.
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