What most people should recognize is that Apple is rarely first to market with new technologies. They don’t always create immediate industry changing hits either, even the iPhone wasn’t an overnight success. Apple typically follows a deliberate approach, prioritizing user experience above all else. So when Apple acknowledged the delay of many Apple Intelligence features in 2024, this decision was made with users in mind, not shareholders.
Over the past year and a half, despite the initial stumble with Apple Intelligence, Apple has delivered numerous features that were showcased in their original presentation. What remains notably absent is the enhanced Siri that would offer predictions and intelligently process your data to provide assistance exactly when needed.
But enough about what they didn’t release and focus on what they have done which is foundation of why Apple might not be as far behind as a lot of critics have suggested.
Apple has heavily focused on on-device AI rather than cloud connections, allowing the company to prioritize privacy and trust, core elements of their mission. This offline approach benefits users with faster response times. Features like Siri suggestions, Face ID, natural search in the new Photos app in iOS 26, and Translations represent just a few of the on-device models that utilize AI.
A clear trend in Apple’s recent software launches is their system integration strategy. The most significant example is the direct incorporation of ChatGPT into Siri search in iOS 18. Apple has also integrated services like Claude and ChatGPT into Xcode. Many such integrations exist already, with more likely to follow in the future.
Looking beyond software, Apple’s hardware has incorporated AI capabilities in its devices for several years. Both M-series and A-series chips feature a Neural Engine specifically designed for AI tasks. This allows Apple to optimize their on-device models without relying on cloud processing, while still delivering fast performance.
“AI” is just the current buzzword, but most of today’s AI falls far short of what true artificial intelligence will eventually accomplish. Before AI became popular, “Machine Learning” was the trending term. Apple has been developing on-device models for decades that we use daily without even noticing. Even something as simple as eye awareness in FaceID is powered by a localized model. While Apple has published research papers in AI fields, they’ve quietly built core technologies that enhance all their devices and genuinely benefit customers.
Apple is taking a more integrated and on-device approach to AI with privacy at its core. While competitors may currently have advantages in certain AI capabilities, artificial intelligence isn’t a single technology but rather multiple systems working together to benefit users. Apple already has the ecosystem in place and has demonstrated its ability to create technology that genuinely enhances the user experience, we just might have to wait for that one more thing.
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