Apple Begins iOS 18.2 Distribution Integrating Siri and ChatGPT
Apple Intelligence Service Launched
WSJ Evaluates AI as "Unleashing Human Potential"
Apple has integrated ChatGPT functionality into the iPhone, Mac, and iPad. With Apple’s voice assistant Siri now linked to ChatGPT, expectations are growing that the AI era for smartphones will fully take off. Ahead of Apple’s announcement, Google also unveiled its AI ‘Gemini 2.0,’ intensifying the AI competition among big tech companies.
On the 10th (local time), Apple released the official version of iOS 18.2, the operating system for the iPhone. The biggest change is that Apple’s Siri has become smarter by integrating with ChatGPT. Users can utilize ChatGPT’s AI features by conversing with their phone. AI can be used without issuing commands through the ChatGPT app. Apple allows users to choose between Siri’s native responses and ChatGPT’s responses while using Siri.
Although Apple has developed its own AI, it chose to use ChatGPT when more comprehensive answers are needed. This approach allowed Apple to adopt AI without massive investments, and iPhone users can use ChatGPT without having an account. OpenAI gains access to billions of Apple users.
The newly introduced AI also includes image generation capabilities. The iPhone 16 features visual intelligence that instantly recognizes subjects or locations captured by the camera. This strategy is seen as offering users an easier AI experience before moving on to more complex AI. The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), which had criticized the absence of AI features immediately after the iPhone 16 launch, praised Apple for finally releasing AI that enables humans to maximize their potential. Apple plans to further enhance AI functions in the future, including inter-app integration and writing assistance.
This feature will be available in some countries including the U.S., but it can also be used in Korea if the language is set to English. Korean language support is scheduled for April next year. However, to use the iPhone AI features, users must have the latest iPhones such as the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 16, or iPhone 16 Pro. This is because the semiconductor performance and memory capacity in the phone must be powerful enough to support AI. Apple supports AI only on devices using the A17 Pro chip and chips released after the M1.
Apple’s AI ambitions are part of a bigger picture. On the same day, U.S. IT media The Information reported that Apple is developing AI server semiconductors in collaboration with semiconductor company Broadcom. Apple’s semiconductor design, which has driven its innovation, is now expanding beyond smartphone and computer chips to include communication and AI chips.
Apple’s competitors are responding in kind. OpenAI, which collaborates with Apple, recently held an event introducing new services for 12 consecutive days, unveiling ChatGPT with a monthly fee of $200, the official version of the video creation AI Sora, collaboration tool Canvas, and more.
On the same day, Google unveiled ‘Gemini 2.0,’ a large language model (LLM) AI. This is seen as Google’s full-scale response to the AI agent era. Although Google faced harsh criticism last year for launching a premature service in response to ChatGPT, it has since showcased achievements in AI, including the Nobel Prize in Chemistry awarded to ‘AlphaFold,’ a protein analysis AI developed by Google DeepMind last October. The advancement of Gemini offers hope to the Android OS-based smartphone camp, including Samsung Electronics. Samsung recently previewed ‘One UI 7,’ which will be used in the Galaxy S25 smartphone, preparing for upcoming changes.
Apple and Google’s stock prices reached all-time highs. Wall Street expects iPhone sales to increase as Apple’s AI becomes fully operational. The Nasdaq index also closed above 20,000 for the first time ever.
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