Apple’s AI research signals ambition to catch up with Big Tech rivals
Apple has demonstrated its intention to catch up with its Silicon Valley competitors in the field of generative artificial intelligence (AI) with its latest research. The iPhone maker’s paper, titled LLM in a Flash, focuses on running large language models on smartphones. This development offers a solution to the current computational bottleneck and paves the way for effective inference of these models on devices with limited memory. Apple’s research highlights its focus on AI that can run directly on the iPhone, distinguishing itself from rivals like Microsoft and Google who rely on cloud computing platforms.
The paper, which was published on December 12, gained attention when it was recently highlighted by AI research platform Hugging Face. This marks Apple’s second paper on generative AI this month, following its efforts to enable image-generating models on its custom chips. The smartphone market has experienced a decline in recent years, and device manufacturers and chipmakers are looking to AI features to revive sales. Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon predicts that AI-focused smartphones will create new experiences for consumers and reverse declining mobile sales.
Apple’s foray into generative AI has been viewed by many as an attempt to catch up with its Big Tech rivals in the field. Despite launching Siri, one of the first virtual assistants, in 2011, Apple has been seen as lagging behind in the generative AI space. However, the company’s research suggests its focus will be on AI that can operate directly on personal devices like the iPhone.
The ability to run large AI models on personal devices presents technical challenges due to limitations in computing resources and energy. Nevertheless, solving this problem could result in faster AI responses, even when offline. Additionally, answering queries on an individual’s device without sending data to the cloud offers privacy benefits, an area where Apple has excelled in recent years.
While Apple’s academic papers do not directly indicate how the company will implement new features, they provide valuable insights into its secretive research labs and technical advancements. The conclusion of Apple’s research paper states that their work is not only a solution to a current computational bottleneck but also sets a precedent for future research as large language models continue to grow in size and complexity.
Apple’s ambition to catch up with its rivals in generative AI comes as competitors like Samsung prepare to launch AI-focused smartphones. Furthermore, industry estimates suggest that over 100 million AI-focused smartphones will be shipped in 2024, with approximately 40% of new devices offering these capabilities by 2027.
Apple’s research signifies its determination to compete in the AI space, enabled by advancements that allow large language models to run on smartphones. As the company continues to invest in this technology, it aims to provide users with improved AI experiences directly on their personal devices.
Apple’s representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comments on their research and future plans in the AI sector.
