While Apple isn't yet ready to announce a broader AI strategy as it prepares for June's Worldwide Developer Conference, the tech giant made sure to talk about AI technologies across its device lineup at Tuesday's iPad event. Mentioned. The company touted the new iPad Air as an “incredibly powerful device for AI.” AI-powered features like visual lookup, subject line lift, live text capture, and more. And of course, the upgraded M4 chip features a Neural Engine “dedicated to accelerating AI workloads.”
Tuesday's theme focused less on the AI advances Apple is making internally and more on the new hardware devices themselves (devices like the new iPad and the latest Apple Pencil). But Apple has always noted that advances in hardware could also help enhance AI technology.
For example, the iPad Air update includes the M2, which has a faster CPU, GPU, and Neural Engine, and says it offers “powerful machine learning features” such as Visual Lookup, which can identify objects in photos. explained. An AI-powered tool that highlights the subject of a photo. Live text capture lets you copy, share, search, and translate text within the camera frame.
When Apple didn't have its own AI technology, it looked to third parties. For example, while talking about his iPad Air, Apple introduced his Pixelmator's Photomator, which uses an AI model trained on over 20 million professional images to improve your photos in one click. I praised it.
Meanwhile, the iPad Pro has moved from the M2 to the new M4. This is the latest generation of Apple silicone, featuring a new CPU, next-generation GPU, and next-generation ML accelerators that Apple says are up to 50% faster. Performance that exceeds M2. Of course, the company also focused on the chip's Neural Engine (NPU), which is “dedicated to accelerating AI workloads.”
“While the chip industry is now starting to add NPUs to some processors, we've been building industry-leading neural engines into our chips for years,” said Apple's Head of Hardware Engineering. SVP John Tarnas said during the event.
But consumers are waiting to see what use cases these hardware advances have in store. And despite having the opportunity to preview the release of his iPadOS, which will feature new AI features and other developers, Apple still hasn't elaborated on it. – Focused announcements.
Instead, Apple implemented existing features in iPadOS, including Stage Manager for multitasking views and a viewing mode for creatives called Reference Mode.
Still, the company hinted that improved AI capabilities will soon be in the hands of iPadOS app developers, with the operating system software providing advanced frameworks such as CoreML that developers can use to leverage its neural engine to create “powerful He pointed out that it will be possible to provide “A.I.” Works directly on your device. ”
In other apps, such as Logic Pro, Apple has added new AI-powered session players, such as bass players and keyboard players who can join in performances alongside existing drummers. Apple says these AI-driven backing band members can also respond to feedback provided in the app. The company also mentioned ChromaGlow, a Logic Pro plug-in that uses machine learning to add warmth to tracks.
Image credit: Apple
Apple focused on how AI can solve problems in areas such as photography, such as when trying to scan documents using a device's camera.
“We've all had the experience of trying to scan a document in certain lighting conditions where shadows are difficult to avoid,” Ternas says. “The new Pro solves this problem. It uses AI to automatically detect documents like forms and receipts. If shadows get in the way, use the new Adaptive Flash to instantly create multiple photos. The frames are stitched together, which dramatically improves the scan.
None of the mentions of AI stood out as big breakthroughs, but Apple's style has been around upgrading the experience of consumers using their devices, so it's important to focus on AI improvements. It was suggested that this should be done.
We're expected to hear more about Apple's AI plans at WWDC, where there are rumors that the company could also announce an AI-powered Siri and partnerships with AI providers like Google and OpenAI. .
