Apple Reportedly Developing Chip to Power AI for Its Devices
Apple is reportedly working on a processor that will be dedicated to artificial intelligence (AI) tasks alone. Furthermore, two of Apple's future developments will be dependent on AI.
Siri was Apple's first project in AI, which the company launched in 2011. This year, Apple is already working on a chip that will carry tasks solely for AI, Bloomberg reports.
An anonymous source shared with the publication that the AI chip is currently called Neural Engine within company walls. The chip is expected to help with AI-related tasks, such as facial recognition and speech recognition.
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Currently, Apple devices use two different chips to handle AI-related tasks, which are the main processor and the graphics chip. When the AI chip comes into play, battery performance will be improved on Apple devices since it is already anticipated that majority, if not all, will be equipped with the AI processor.
Meanwhile, Apple has two future developments that are riding on AI.
Former Apple analyst and Loup Ventures co-founder Gene Munster shared that augmented reality and self-driving cars are centered on artificial intelligence, which Apple is working on.
Apple CEO Tim Cook already hinted in a previous interview that they will be working on the development of AR technology.
"I'm excited about Augmented Reality because unlike Virtual Reality which closes the world out, AR allows individuals to be present in the world but hopefully allows an improvement on what's happening presently," Cook told the Independent.
He added, "With AR you can not be engrossed in something, but have it be a part of your world, of your conversation. That has resonance. ... It's not a product per se, it's a core technology."
Apple has also taken a big step in AI development. Just this January, Apple joined Partnership on AI as a founding member. Partnership on AI is composed of other big Silicon Valley companies that focus on research and development in the field of automation, robotics, and digital intelligence.
