Apple said, "AI will make you a 'Creator'"

Apple to Unveil New iPad on 7th
AI Features Powered by M4 Semiconductor Chip
Enhancing Creativity with Various Apps

Apple has unveiled the high-performance semiconductor chip ‘M4,’ optimized for implementing generative artificial intelligence (AI) technology. Skipping the M3 chip introduced in the MacBook laptop series, Apple immediately equipped the new M4 chip in its latest tablet PC. Global big tech companies are fiercely competing in AI technology, often described as a Warring States period, and Apple had been considered lagging behind due to its relatively modest presence in the AI market. However, with the introduction of the AI-dedicated M4 chip and various applications, Apple has officially entered the AI technology competition.

Logic Pro, an iPad Pro-exclusive application that allows users to work on music without being restricted by location.
[Photo by Apple]

Implementing Generative AI Functions with the Powerful M4 Chip

On the 7th (local time), Apple introduced its new iPad lineup through an online event on YouTube and other platforms, presenting a video lasting about 40 minutes. Approximately 30 minutes were devoted to news about the iPad Pro equipped with the M4 chip, emphasizing its capabilities. The M4 chip integrates 28 billion transistors manufactured using a second-generation 3nm process. It is optimized to smoothly run generative AI functions even in the iPad body, which is as thin as an iPod. Apple proudly stated, "It has a computational processing capability of 38 trillion operations per second," and claimed it "surpasses the speed of all existing AI PCs’ neural processing units (NPUs)."

The 10-core central processing unit (CPU) with next-generation machine learning accelerators is up to 1.5 times faster than the existing M2 chip. The graphics processing unit (GPU), necessary for enjoying high-spec games with vivid graphics, has also been enhanced. It renders shadows and reflection effects in games vividly and realistically while reducing power consumption and increasing speed.

Notably, Apple succeeded in improving the power efficiency of the M4 chip, claiming that its performance per watt is the highest in the industry. It explained that it can deliver the same performance as the M2 while using only half the power, and compared to the latest PC chips, it boasts the same performance with just 25% of the power. As a ‘low-power, high-efficiency’ semiconductor chip, it aims to increase user satisfaction when utilizing AI functions and contribute to environmental protection. Apple said, "The high power efficiency of the M4 helps provide all-day battery life," adding, "It reduces charging time and lowers the energy consumed while using the product."

"With AI, You Can Become a Film Director or Musician"

Based on powerful hardware, Apple has begun preparations to attract users into its software ecosystem. In the video, Apple showed scenes of crushing cameras, books, art tools, and musical instruments with a press, leaving only the iPad Pro. This symbolic expression conveys that anyone can become a creator with just the iPad Pro. This is made possible through Pro Apps. Apple announced major updates to the video production app ‘Final Cut Pro’ and the composition app ‘Logic Pro,’ both exclusive to the iPad Pro. Final Cut Pro is an app that allows video recording, editing, and sharing all at once. With added features such as real-time multicam and remote angle settings, it is expected to elevate users’ video production work to a new level.

Logic Pro assists with music tasks such as composing, producing, and mixing. Apple introduced that with this app, users can create their own dedicated AI performance band. It expanded the range beyond the drum sounds introduced in ‘Drummer,’ released over ten years ago, to include bass and keyboard. Apple stated, "We collaborated with top-tier bass players based on advanced AI technology and sampling techniques." Through machine learning, it modeled sounds that evoke an analog feel and added a function to classify sounds by instrument to assist remixing work. Apple said that delicate performances are possible with simple operations, boasting quality as if recorded in a world-class recording studio. Apple CEO Tim Cook said, "The iPad will elevate ideas, work, and creativity to new heights for everyone from general consumers to professionals."

Tim Cook Apple CEO

Apple is expected to hold the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC24) in the United States for five days starting next month on the 10th, where it will reveal its AI technology strategy. At the end of the video, CEO Tim Cook said, "I look forward to seeing you again at WWDC next month," and previewed, "We will discuss the future of our platform and share exciting things to come."

WWDC24 is an event for software developers to introduce Apple’s new operating system (iOS 18), and it is expected to provide a preview of the features included in the iPhone 16 series. Attention is focused on how the generative AI technology implemented in the iPhone will differentiate itself from Samsung Electronics’ AI phone, the Galaxy S 24. Reducing hallucinations?incorrect information generated by AI?and enhancing precision when generating or removing images will also be key factors.