The secret word is…"AI"

Like cooties in elementary school, AI is all anyone can talk about these days. Which makes the fact that Apple didn’t mention it even once during Monday’s annual “look at our cool new stuff” showcase, aka the WWDC, all the more surprising.

🤖 AI = the new buzzword: For most of the tech industry, the last half-year has felt like a game of “whoever says ‘AI’ the most wins.” Case in point: Meta, Alphabet, and Microsoft mentioned the word “AI” 161 different times on their most recent earnings calls.

Apple’s contrasting approach, on the other hand, may just come down to marketing tactics. Because while the company didn’t mention the word “AI,” it did announce a number of improvements powered by AI and machine learning.

• AirPods Pro: The newest update for the wireless headphones will soon automatically turn off noise canceling mode when you’re engaged in conversation.
• Voicemails: Apple’s neural engine hardware will transcribe the first few words of a voicemail in real time so you can decide whether to take the call.
• Texting: iOS 17, the upcoming operating system for the iPhone and iPad, will come with a much-improved, AI-powered engine powering its autocorrect feature (about ducking time).

🥽 Worth mentioning: The company did also unveil the Vision Pro, its brand-new AR/VR headset, on the same day as all these👆 – and may not have wanted AI to steal its limelight.