Hey Siri, u ok?
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Adding AI to your platform has become the hottest new craze in Silicon Valley. Everyone from Google to Microsoft to even Amazon (with AWS) are all doing it.
Well, almost everyone. Notably absent from the headlines has been one of the most innovative companies in the world: Apple. Which begs the question: why?
According to a NY Times report published earlier this week, the answer may be coming from inside the Cupertino-building: Apple’s very own Siri.
🤿 A deeper dive... Like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, Siri is a “command-and-control” system. Which basically means it's limited to answering the questions programmed into its “brain.” Ask it something outside of that code, and it will say it cannot help.
The AI-enhanced tools of today (i.e., GPT-4), on the other hand, are powered by large language models (LLM). Meaning they’re trained on massive amounts of text so that when you ask a question, the chatbot sees how a question like that has been answered in the past and acts accordingly.
- According to one Apple engineer, Siri’s “clunky code” means that even basic updates can take weeks to go through.
- Plus, since Siri’s so deeply integrated into iOS, Apple may not feel confident updating Siri’s codebase with an LLM.
But don’t count the world’s largest tech company out just yet. Last month, Apple held an AI-focused event in Cupertino, and the Siri team is “testing language concepts” weekly.
🤔 Yes, but… should they? For all of its ability to enhance productivity and creativity, AI chatbots still have a whole slew of issues – from threatening users, to having existential crises, to even falling in love with a NY Times reporter and then trying to ruin his marriage.
🤖📈 Zoom out: Despite its faults, AI chatbot projects across the tech industry are like a juicy rumor in middle school – spreading fast. Earlier this week, both Google and Microsoft announced they’ll be integrating AI into their suite of work-focused tools (Gmail and Google Docs on Google’s side, and with Word, Powerpoint, Excel, and Outlook for Microsoft).
📊 Flash poll: In your opinion, AI chatbots will ultimately have a ____ impact on society.
See a 360° view of what media pundits are saying →
Sprinkles from the Left
- Some commentators argue that artificial intelligence isn’t inherently good or bad – rather, its tendencies are completely dependent on the humans who built and operate it, and it could turn out to ultimately benefit or harm humanity.
- Others contend that AI has the potential to be the most important thing we’ve ever worked on – more profound than electricity or fire – and its further development will influence the evolution of humanity.
- “AI is not good or bad. It’s up to us to infuse it with humanity” –Flynn Coleman, SF Chronicle
- “This Changes Everything” –Ezra Klein, NY Times
- “The stupidity of AI” –James Bridle, The Guardian
Sprinkles from the Right
- Some commentators argue that artificial intelligence still has a ways to go and many kinks to iron out before it can become something that’s useful and beneficial for humanity – but that day is fast approaching.
- Others contend that AI chatbots like ChatGPT will force many industries like teaching, writing, or coding to completely upend their long-used tactics and reevaluate their entire way of doing things.
- “How ChatGPT’s AI Will Become Useful” –Andy Kessler, WSJ
- “ChatGPT is ominous, but the pen is mightier” –Peter Laffin, Washington Examiner
- “Here’s how artificial intelligence becomes biased” –Brian Chau, NY Post
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