Apple calling everything that it released 'intelligent' won't help it catch up
After practically disdaining the phrase "artificial intelligence," Apple first compromised with "Apple Intelligence," but now it's overusing the term and applying it even to devices that won't run the new feature.
L-R: Tim Cook, Jeff Williams, Dr. Sumbul Desai
There comes a point when you say a word so often that it loses meaning, and Apple approached that with "intelligent" in the "It's Glowtime" event's launch of the new Apple Watch. It was fewer than a dozen times but over that short period, it felt like Apple had told its presenters to hammer that point home.
Don't even begin trying to count how often it was said about the iPhones. The iPhone 16 introduction was even interrupted by an extended segment about Apple Intelligence, but then at least that device is getting that feature.
So is the iPhone 16 Pro range, and so is the Mac although that wasn't discussed in the event.
The Apple Watch Series 10, though, is not getting Apple Intelligence. But the word or its variant still got about one mention for every two minutes of the launch segment's running time.
Including Tim Cook at the start of the event, the Apple Watch segment featured five presenters -- and three of them wedged in "intelligent" or "intelligence."
For comparison, 2023's launch of the Apple Watch Series 9 ran for just over 26 minutes. And the word was not used once.
Apple has its own language
Apple used to have this thing about using its own terminology instead of anyone else's. MagSafe instead of Qi, for instance, or "Retina display."
In this case, Apple had its own term for artificial intelligence and it had used it for at least a decade. Plus "Machine Learning" was more accurate a description than AI, and unquestionably Apple was far ahead with it though specifically adding neural engine cores to its processors.
Only, it seems someone questioned it. By late 2023, Apple was perceived to be far behind the rest of the industry. That was partly because the rest of the industry was publicly making generative AI apps like ChatGPT.
But it was also because every other player in the technology industry was talking about AI. In reality, Apple was too, but it wasn't using that term.
Whether pressure drove Apple to play catch up, or whether Apple's Craig Federighi ignited it because of his own AI interest, Apple has spent 2024 talking up AI.
Even as we near the official releases of macOS Sequoia and iOS 18, Apple has been more talking about what it now calls Apple Intelligence than it has been releasing much.
Ignoring betas and release promises, just looking at Apple's talking seems to tell a tale. Initially it stuck to "Machine Learning" for all the best reasons, until it realized it was being undermined by the use of the term "artificial intelligence."
So Apple tries to get back in the game, linguistically, and also set out a stall for why its AI is different, by coining the term Apple Intelligence. It did that at WWDC 2024, and it's one of those terms that sounds poor when you first hear it, but then you get used to it remarkably quickly.
It's no surprise that the term was used throughout the iPhone launches, and it will be again when the next Macs are released. There's no criticism about Apple using its term to describe its feature.
But when it's also being applied to a device like the Apple Watch that very specifically is not getting Apple Intelligence, then it jars. Then it's saying more than it intends to.
It's saying that Apple still doesn't think users associate it with AI. It's sounding like Apple is a bit desperate.
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Comments
When we think of Apple Intelligence, it should always be with a “yes and” mindset with the “and” being a product or service Apple offers. Apple Intelligence doing preliminary diagnostics in Disk First Aid to assist in tech triage, or parse console logs to help narrow down an issue. Apple Intelligence turning Siri into your own personal “JARVIS” instead of it being a passive entity. Apple Intelligence refining your Home automation. Apple Intelligence connecting disparate data points from your various health apps to provide holistic feedback on the state of your fitness. Apple Intelligence enhancing health trends, or automatically micro-adjusting goals based on your current fitness levels. We’ve actually seen these pitches in the last two keynote presentations. It’s always been how Apple intelligence is going to make an Apple hardware product more functional.
Apple is NOT a software company. They sell hardware. Their software and services are intended to make their hardware offerings look more appealing. Apple Intelligence is Apple’s “next step” in Apple setting their hardware apart. Apple’s goal with Apple intelligence is to put the “smart” in the smart device.
There is no other AI product I am aware of that has the goal of enhancing someone’s device. every other AI product is selling AI itself as the product to do creative things for people, instead of providing additional tools for creators.
While there isn’t yet a WatchOS 11.1 beta that has specific Apple Intelligence integrations, that doesn’t mean that there won’t be. Odds are there will be, in fact.
For now however, the references in the event video closely track Apple Intelligence features that the Watch gets from pairing with an iPhone. Which they all do. So overall the article feels a bit willfully misleading.
Overall the state of LLM AI/ML is a hot mess that makes USB-C compatibility look well thought out by comparison. And it makes sense that Apple would want to promote and differentiate their usage from that of the problematic ChatBorgs.
Article Rating: Unsatisfactory.
OpenAI, Gemini or Recall Copilot as presented aren’t enough by themselves all Apple need do is what they’ve always done iterate and execute in the long term, it’s the little things that win out with the public and the competition over the last 25 years, simply have no clue when it comes to executing hardware and software. The Pixel 9 (no Lidar) with a five year old Tensor processor and a bad modem phoning home for instructions, or Microsoft recalling your desktop screen isn’t enough.
oh, and one more....
What is AI doing on-device with your iPhone that can't be done on-device with a Pixel? Anything?
For example: my 72 year old mother will never use chatGPT in her life, but she'll definitely use apple intelligence when it comes to her phone. She might use it to proofread a text she's going to send or create a fun litle emoji. Apple has a better vision for AI than anyone else and just you watch: every other competitor will begin emulating Apple's use of AI.