Reportedly, Apple has been recruiting Google staff intending to assemble its team of machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) specialists.
The Financial Times (FT) reported on April 30 that Apple has engaged in a “hiring spree” over the past year, explicitly acquiring “dozens” of these specialists from Google. Since 2018, Apple has reportedly recruited approximately 36 AI specialists from Google, according to the report.
In addition to endeavouring to assemble elite teams of AI specialists, Apple has constructed a “secretive” laboratory in Zurich, Switzerland, known as “Vision Lab,” after acquiring two local AI firms in the region.
According to the FT report, Apple’s Zurich staff played a crucial role in investigating advanced AI technologies that underpin competing services such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Residents, however, have remarked that the laboratory is hidden; some were unaware Apple was operating in the vicinity.
This occurs as Apple adopts a more assertive stance toward developing its artificial intelligence. In the past year, Apple has maintained a relatively low profile compared to its major technology rivals, including OpenAI, Google, Meta, Microsoft, and Amazon, which have all been competing to invest in and develop robust large language models.
Apple’s market share has decreased since the beginning of 2024. Microsoft and Google, on the other hand, disclosed substantial revenue and profit growth in their earnings reports for the second quarter, primarily attributable to their investments and developments in AI technologies.
Apple, however, released its own Open-source Efficient Language Models (OpenELM), a collection of four minuscule language models based on the Hugging Face library, on April 24. The intended use of the models is for text-based duties, including email composition.
Industry insiders assert that Apple will prioritize integrating generative AI capabilities into its mobile devices. This would enable AI chatbots and applications to operate on the iPhone’s internal hardware instead of relying on data centres and their associated cloud services for electricity.
Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook, confirmed in February 2024 that iOS and other Apple platforms will incorporate generative AI software features later that year.
The incorporation of generative AI technologies on iOS is reportedly the subject of intense discussions between Apple and OpenAI, as reported on April 27. There were also references to analogous discussions held with Google.
Although not definitively determined, these advancements indicate Apple’s potential shift towards artificial intelligence.
