Apple plans generative AI integration in iOS 18, aiming for late 2024 debut

Apple is reportedly planning to implement generative AI technology on the iPhone and iPad, with a potential rollout starting in late 2024.

According to Jeff Pu, an analyst covering Apple's supply chain for Haitong International Securities, Apple may build several hundred AI servers in 2023 and significantly more in the following year. The company is expected to combine cloud-based AI with "edge AI," emphasizing on-device data processing.

This move toward generative AI could lead to the introduction of new features in iOS 18 and iPadOS 18. Apple's exact plans for the technology are yet to be revealed, but reports suggest that the company intends to integrate large language models into Siri for automating complex tasks, possibly via the Shortcuts app. This feature could potentially be included in an iPhone software update next year.

However, there are concerns that Apple's generative AI efforts are behind those of its competitors. Some speculate that the technology may not be ready until 2025 or later. Generative AI gained popularity with the release of ChatGPT by OpenAI and similar chatbots by Google and Microsoft. These chatbots use large language models to respond in a human-like manner.

Apple CEO Tim Cook has emphasized the company's cautious approach to ensure responsible and ethical use of generative AI, addressing concerns related to bias and hallucination in AI-generated content.