Apple's (AAPL) AI push has begun. The company announced Tuesday its latest iPad Pro with an all-new M4 processor. This chip brings many benefits to the Pro, including a faster CPU and updated graphics processing unit.
But what stood out most was Apple's focus on the M4's AI capabilities. Apple has had Neural Engine in its processors since 2017, and he's been talking about how it's helped power many of his iPhones, iPads, and Macs.
However, the M4 announcement is different and comes as an appetizer to the AI ​​capabilities the company will offer at its June WWDC event, where Apple is widely expected to announce a number of AI-powered generation software features for its various devices. fulfilled its role.
M4 and AI
Apple pointed out in the keynote that much of the M4's AI is real, with Tim Millett, vice president of platform architecture, specifically pointing out that the chip is capable of 34 trillion operations per second, which means He pointed out that this is a measurement often used to explain AI performance.
Millet also said that the M4's neural engine is more powerful than any neural processing unit in an AI PC. This comes as Intel (INTC), AMD (AMD ), and a direct attack on Qualcomm (QCOM).
Outside of the basics of the M4's AI processing, Apple has remained silent on any substantive discussion of AI software updates. Indeed, Millet said that while the M4 helps his iPad Pro quickly separate subjects from the background in his 4K videos, the iPad Air with M2 can do the same thing, but it's a little slower. All the company had to offer was that the M4 would allow him to run AI apps and features faster and more smoothly.
The company also did not provide information about the M4's performance in training or running large-scale language models (LLMs), which Intel, Qualcomm, and AMD regularly point to as an indicator of a chip's strength.
Still, the fact that Apple introduced consumers and Wall Street to its AI ideas early on is significant.
The company is widely seen as being behind the curve when it comes to the generative AI race, and investors have high hopes for WWDC, which will serve as Apple's big AI coming-out party.
CEO Tim Cook has been talking more and more about AI in recent months, saying during the company's recent earnings call that the iPhone maker is investing heavily in AI technology.
This includes acquiring smaller AI companies and, according to Bloomberg's Mark Garman, talks with both OpenAI and Google about potentially using large-scale language models to power Apple's AI experience. This includes:
Analysts say Apple's generative AI products will help boost iPhone sales as consumers spend more and more time on their phones and lack flashy new features to differentiate the generation. It is expected that it will become a drug.
Now Apple just has to make it happen.
Email Daniel Howley at dhowley@yahoofinance.com. Follow him on Twitter @Daniel Howley.
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