Apple’s WWDC 2024 keynote on Monday centered on its new Apple Intelligence AI instruments on the iPhone, iPad and Macs. Google’s I/O occasion final month was additionally all about AI, however Google’s method to the subject was a scorching casserole of nonsense that left me, a tech journalist of 13 years, scratching my head. Apple took a distinct method in the way it talked about AI.
Presenters at Google I/O threw round a wild quantity of information, together with a complete host of latest model names to determine. Gem, Gemma, Gemini, Veo, Astra, Study LM — I sat by way of Google’s occasion struggling to even perceive which factor does what, not to mention why I ought to care about any of it. I ended my working day feeling out of my depth and just like the tech world had left me behind.
And whereas Apple talked so much about how its host of latest AI options will work throughout all its platforms, it did so in a manner that truly made sense. It took a “present, do not inform” method by giving actual examples of what its new options will truly do and, crucially, how you will profit from utilizing them.
We got demos on how one can ask the brand new AI-powered Siri to “make my photograph pop” earlier than seeing a picture obtain auto-edits. Or how the on-screen consciousness lets you simply say “add this deal with to Mike’s contact card” when Mike texts you a brand new deal with. All of Apple’s examples had been clear, comprehensible and confirmed how Apple continues to reach taking a customer-focused method.
Apple confirmed actual, sensible examples of its AI instruments in use.
Each Google’s I/O and Apple’s WWDC are essentially developer-focused occasions, designed to inform business professionals about these updates to allow them to then roll them out to customers. Google’s occasion was so pro-heavy, nonetheless, so filled with jargon and assumed data, that it alienated client tech followers like me. Consequently, I am not enthusiastic about Google’s AI guarantees — just because I do not actually know what they’re. And meaning I could also be much less inclined to make use of Chrome or Gmail or to purchase an Android cellphone that makes use of its AI instruments — which is Google’s entire mission.
Apple’s keynote as an alternative spoke to me, straight, not through indecipherable developer-talk. Tim Prepare dinner known as AI on Apple units “private intelligence” and it felt simply that, whereas the impactful slogan “AI for the remainder of us” appeared on display behind Craig Federighi, nearly as a callout to Google’s impenetrable occasion.
However greater than that, Apple centered on points that matter to me as a client. There was plenty of speak round privateness in AI, how my knowledge will probably be protected and even issues just like the emphasis on cartoon-style generative photographs of your family and friends, moderately than making an attempt photorealistic photographs, which might be each creepy as hell and doubtlessly extraordinarily problematic.
Google even saved its personal depend of what number of occasions it mentioned “AI” though by our depend the quantity was even larger.
Apple nonetheless talked on to its builders, explaining for instance that the SDK for its ChatGPT integration will probably be accessible for use in numerous apps, nevertheless it nonetheless did so in a manner that left me feeling precisely why this may be helpful after I use my iPhone.
On the finish of Apple’s occasion I felt like I knew what had occurred. I understood the upcoming merchandise, and greater than that, I am excited to attempt them. I might be excited to attempt Google’s merchandise as soon as I get to know them, however Google was so busy tripping over itself within the 140 occasions it mentioned the phrases “AI” in its keynote that I really feel prefer it forgot to inform me what these merchandise even are.
By sticking to its customer-first method, Apple has been in a position to break by way of the jargon and truly inform me why I ought to care, and within the continuously creating, endlessly complicated world of AI, that is an enormous win for Apple.
