Apple's new Japan R&D center to build 'very different' artificial intelligence tech, Tim Cook says

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
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in General Discussion
Apple's investments in Siri and artificial intelligence will grow in the coming months, Chief Executive Tim Cook revealed in a new interview, disclosing that his company's Yokohama, Japan, facility will boast "deep engineering" for machine learning.





Via the office of the Prime Minister of Japan.




"I cannot tell you the specifics. The specific work is very different," Cook teased in an interview with Nikkei.



Cook went on to say that he sees Apple's AI tech "running across all products" and "in ways most people don't even think about." Specific advantages he cited include improving battery life, recommending music, and remembering where you parked your car.



Of course, those are all tasks that Apple's platforms, including Siri, already do in their current state. While their is certainly room for improvement on how well Apple's AI handles those tasks, the comments from Cook imply that the Yokohama facility will help the company push its research in new and different directions.



The interview is Cook's latest stop on his tour of Asia, which also saw him meet with executives from Nintendo, as well as the prime minister of Japan. Cook also visited China, where he announced his company will open a separate R&D center in Shenzhen in 2017.



Apple's Yokohama, Japan, center, meanwhile, will be completed this December, with Cook vowing to use its local presence to forge partnerships with Japanese companies.



Apple originally paid to take over part of a former Panasonic factory in Tsunashima-higashi, a space that measures over 269,000 square feet. As with a number of other Apple facilities, the company is working to "green" the complex by minimizing energy consumption. It will also make use of recycled water, and trees should be planted on the roof.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 15
    rogifan_newrogifan_new Posts: 4,297member
    We need less talking and more showing, Tim.
    Dracarysavon b7
  • Reply 2 of 15
    redraider11redraider11 Posts: 186member
    Aren't Apple and IBM supposed to be partners? Why don't they just use Watson?
    calijony0tycho_macuser
  • Reply 3 of 15
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,213member
    Mr Cook was also quoted in that interview as saying "We would like to be a catalyst for taking cash out of the system. We don’t think the consumer particularly likes cash."
    doozydozentycho_macuser
  • Reply 4 of 15
    ericthehalfbeeericthehalfbee Posts: 4,486member
    Good. Everyone is investing in AI and it's good to see Apple mention that they are also investing heavily in this area.

    The vague announcement doesn't bother me - it's just typical Apple. Just the fact Cook stated they are also investing in this is good enough. 
    badmonkdoozydozenwatto_cobracali
  • Reply 5 of 15
    flaneurflaneur Posts: 4,526member
    rogifan_new said:
    We need less talking and more showing, Tim.
    "We"? Who's "we"? 

    You don't speak for me and you don't speak for the other non-whiner, intelligent people on this forum.

    This comment of yours belongs on MacRumors, not here. YOU belong on MacRumors, not here.


    h2pai46badmonkkudupropodanton zuykovdoozydozenwatto_cobracalifastasleep
  • Reply 6 of 15
    ravnorodomravnorodom Posts: 694member
    Yokohama is a good location. Lots of hi-tech stuffs there. 
    badmonk
  • Reply 7 of 15
    Rayz2016Rayz2016 Posts: 6,957member
    rogifan_new said:
    We need less talking and more showing, Tim.
    In your case we'll settle for less talking. 
    ai46badmonkkuduanton zuykovcanukstormdoozydozenwatto_cobracalifastasleepjony0
  • Reply 8 of 15
    pathrunnerpathrunner Posts: 9member
    Wow, that picture.  I had to stare at it to realize that it was indeed Cook.
  • Reply 9 of 15
    wizard69wizard69 Posts: 13,377member
    Aren't Apple and IBM supposed to be partners? Why don't they just use Watson?
    My guess is that they are looking at both hardware and software systems. It has just been leaked that Intel is adding instructions to their processors to accelerate AI type software. In the same vain I wold expect to see Apple modify its ARM solutions as soon as possible to support AI type software with hardware acceleration.

    It is really an interesting time for AI, deep learning and other technologies, we are to the point where investing in hardware to accelerate these advances makes sense even in a cell phone.

    jony0
  • Reply 10 of 15
    flaneurflaneur Posts: 4,526member
    Rayz2016 said:
    rogifan_new said:
    We need less talking and more showing, Tim.
    In your case we'll settle for less talking. 
    Ha!
    kududoozydozenwatto_cobrafastasleepjony0
  • Reply 11 of 15
    knowitallknowitall Posts: 1,648member
    "Of course, those are all tasks that Apple's platforms, including Siri, already do in their current state. While their is certainly room for improvement on how well Apple's AI handles those tasks, the comments from Cook imply that the Yokohama facility will help the company push its research in very similar directions."

    Fixed that for you.
  • Reply 12 of 15
    canukstormcanukstorm Posts: 2,700member
    wizard69 said:
    Aren't Apple and IBM supposed to be partners? Why don't they just use Watson?
    My guess is that they are looking at both hardware and software systems. It has just been leaked that Intel is adding instructions to their processors to accelerate AI type software. In the same vain I wold expect to see Apple modify its ARM solutions as soon as possible to support AI type software with hardware acceleration.

    It is really an interesting time for AI, deep learning and other technologies, we are to the point where investing in hardware to accelerate these advances makes sense even in a cell phone.

    Apparently, Apple has incorporated such a chip into the iPhone 7:

    http://www.forbes.com/sites/aarontilley/2016/10/17/iphone-7-fpga-chip-artificial-intelligence/#251e883337df
  • Reply 13 of 15
    ericlmercerericlmercer Posts: 103member
    "Apple's new Japan R&D center to build 'very different' artificial intelligence tech, Tim Cook says"
    So Apple's going to build Artificial Artificial Intelligence?




  • Reply 14 of 15
    tycho_macusertycho_macuser Posts: 88member
    redraider11 said:
    Aren't Apple and IBM supposed to be partners? Why don't they just use Watson?
    I 2nd this motion & call for a vote!!! Motion passed??
  • Reply 15 of 15
    avon b7avon b7 Posts: 7,667member
    wizard69 said:
    Aren't Apple and IBM supposed to be partners? Why don't they just use Watson?
    My guess is that they are looking at both hardware and software systems. It has just been leaked that Intel is adding instructions to their processors to accelerate AI type software. In the same vain I wold expect to see Apple modify its ARM solutions as soon as possible to support AI type software with hardware acceleration.

    It is really an interesting time for AI, deep learning and other technologies, we are to the point where investing in hardware to accelerate these advances makes sense even in a cell phone.

    Apparently, Apple has incorporated such a chip into the iPhone 7:

    http://www.forbes.com/sites/aarontilley/2016/10/17/iphone-7-fpga-chip-artificial-intelligence/#251e883337df
    Possibly, but Huawei has also been using FPGAs for years (networking gear) and on the Kirin platform in phones from the P8 (Kirin 930) which is now two years old. In that case it was for better optimised RF reception.

    www.latticesemi.com/About/Newsroom/PressReleases/2015/20150707Huawei.aspx
    edited May 2017
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