Apple explains why “Apple Intelligence” is not a chatbot: “We don't take a teenager and tell them to fly a plane. »

WWDC 2024 revealed a host of AI-powered features on iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia, including Genmoji, which lets you create your own emoji, and Summarize (gives you the “CliffNotes” of your text).

While some AI enthusiasts are excited about Apple Intelligence (that's what Apple is calling its new suite of AI features), other skeptics may be more wary of AI. Apple seemed well aware of these concerns, as iJustine hosted a fireside chat for WWDC attendees (yes, Mashable was there), Apple's senior vice president of software engineering, Craig Federighi, and AI Manager John Giannandrea responded.

Apple intentionally chooses where it places AI

“We have all witnessed AI-related hallucinations,” said iJustine. “How do you do things differently?” »

Giannandrea said Apple was very careful about Or, exactly, AI is applied. In other words, AI shines in certain aspects. For example, AI undoubtedly demonstrates its expertise in synthesizing large sections of text. That's why Apple allowed the Notes app to leverage this capability to generate text summaries from recorded and transcribed audio.

Conversely, in my experience, AI is not good at math (as evidenced by my ChatGPT vs. Gemini matchup). As such, it is very unlikely that Apple will launch an AI-based homework help anytime soon.

Federighi suggested that chatbots, by nature, are too open for Apple's tastes and may expose too many weaknesses to its consumers. Instead, Apple wants to leverage the strengths of the AI ​​models that underpin Apple Intelligence. “We're not going to take this teenager and tell him to fly a plane,” Federighi said.

The silver-haired SVP, who tickled the Mashable team after jumping out of a plane and engaging in parkour in a few exhilarating scenes during the WWDC keynote (probably with some excellent CGI) , said Apple's AI models are “very good” and “very safe,” but acknowledges that they are not a panacea for all tasks and require careful application for a more valuable user experience.

There is ChatGPT, but it is strategically integrated

Yes, there is some integration with ChatGPT, OpenAI's chatbot.

But as Federighi insinuated, there won't be a chatbot window sitting on a right-hand panel somewhere (ahem, Copilot) waiting for you to explore every nook and cranny with open prompts. For example, with your permission, you could ask ChatGPT: “What can I do with this?” before inviting him to recognize an image of a dish and offering you recipe suggestions. Or, with a wordy, wordy document, you can ask ChatGPT to generate a summary on a particular topic, eliminating other irrelevant topics.

In both scenarios, you'll find built-in ChatGPT functionality, curated by Apple to be integrated into specific apps for optimal use.

Giannandrea said Apple Intelligence was “carefully designed not to reveal the worst behavior of these models.” He also added that Apple adheres to a set of AI principles, ensuring that the Cupertino-based tech giant approaches AI responsibly.

With the iOS 18 Developer Beta now available, you can play with new Apple Intelligence features on the iPhone 15 Pro series, as well as iPad Pro, iPad Air, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro with the M1 chip or newer.

The official version of iOS 18 is expected to launch later this year alongside the iPhone 16.