Apple plans to disclose more about its plans to put generative artificial
intelligence to use later this year, Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook said
during the company's annual shareholder meeting today.
Cook said that the iPhone maker sees "incredible breakthrough potential for
generative AI, which is why we're currently investing significantly in this
area. We believe that will unlock transformative opportunities for users
when it comes to productivity, problem solving and more."
Apple has been slower in rolling out generative AI, which can generate
human-like responses to written prompts, than rivals such as Microsoft and
Alphabet's Google, which are weaving them into products.
On Wednesday, Cook argued that AI is already at work behind the scenes in
Apple's products but said there would be more news on explicit AI features
later this year. Bloomberg previously reported Apple plans to use AI to
improve the ability to search through data stored on Apple devices.
"Every Mac that is powered by Apple silicon is an extraordinarily capable AI
machine. In fact, there's no better computer for AI on the market today,"
Cook said.
Apple shareholders on Wednesday rejected a measure asking the company to
disclose more information about how it uses artificial intelligence in its
business and its ethical guidelines for the technology.
The proposal, which was defeated at the company's annual shareholder
meeting, was put forth by the pension trust of the AFL-CIO, the largest
American labor union federation, which has also proposed AI measures at
other technology companies.
A similar proposal will be heard at Walt Disney's DIS.N annual meeting in
April.
At Apple, the AFL-CIO asked for a report on the company's use of AI "in its
business operations and disclose any ethical guidelines that the company has
adopted regarding the company's use of AI technology."
In its supporting statement in Apple's proxy materials, the AFL-CIO wrote
that "AI systems should not be trained on copyrighted works, or the voices,
likenesses and performances of professional performers, without
transparency, consent and compensation to creators and rights holders."
Apple opposed the measure, saying that disclosures could tip its hand on
strategy as it competes against rivals in the fast-moving AI field.
RTÉ Technology.
