Apple Buys DarwinAI Ahead of Major Generative AI Updates Coming in iOS 18
Print/Downloadby Juli Clover
Apple acquired Canada-based company DarwinAI earlier this year to build out its AI team, reports Bloomberg. DarwinAI created AI technology for inspecting components during the manufacturing process, and it also had a focus on making smaller and more efficient AI systems.
DarwinAI’s website and social media accounts have been taken offline following Apple’s purchase. Dozens of former DarwinAI companies have now joined Apple’s artificial intelligence division. AI researcher Alexander Wong, who helped build DarwinAI, is now a director in Apple’s AI group.
Apple confirmed the acquisition with the statement that it typically gives when questioned about purchases. “Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time” but does not discuss its purpose or plans.
In an effort to catch up with Microsoft, Google, and others in the AI market, Apple is working hard to build artificial intelligence features for its next-generation iOS 18 and macOS 15 operating systems.
If Apple wants to be able to rival Microsoft’s Bing, OpenAI’s ChatGPT, and other generative AI offerings, it will need to integrate generative AI into a range of products. Apple is testing large language models, and AI features are said to be coming to Siri, Shortcuts, Messages, Apple Music, and more.
Apple is aiming to have AI features run on-device for privacy reasons, and DarwinAI’s efforts to make smaller AI systems could be of use to further that endeavor.
Apple CEO Tim Cook has promised that Apple will “break new ground” in generative AI in 2024. “We believe it will unlock transformative opportunities for our users,” said Cook.
Popular Stories
iPhone 16 Pro Expected Later This Year With These 10 New Features
While the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are still around six months away from launching, there are already many rumors about the devices. Below, we have recapped new features and changes expected so far. These are some of the key changes rumored for the iPhone 16 Pro models as of March 2024:Larger displays: The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will be equipped with larger 6.3-inch…
iPhone SE 4 Expected to Depreciate Heavily
Resale value trends suggest the iPhone SE 4 may not hold its value as well as Apple’s flagship models, according to SellCell. According to the report, Apple’s iPhone SE models have historically depreciated much more rapidly than the company’s more premium offerings. The third-generation iPhone SE, which launched in March 2022, experienced a significant drop in resale value, losing 42.6%…
Apple Said iPhone Driver’s Licenses Would Expand to These 8 U.S. States… Two Years Ago
In just four U.S. states, residents can add their driver’s license or ID to the Apple Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports, businesses, and venues. Adoption of the feature has been slow since Apple first announced it in September 2021, with IDs in the Wallet app only available in Arizona,…
2024 iPad Pro: Key Rumors to Be Aware of Ahead of Announcement
Apple’s next-generation iPad Pro models are expected to be announced in a matter of weeks, so what can customers expect from the highly anticipated new machines? The 2022 iPad Pro was a minor update that added the M2 chip, Apple Pencil hover, and specification upgrades like Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity. The iPad Pro as a whole has generally only seen relatively small updates in…
Apple Preparing iOS 17.4.1 Update for iPhone
Apple appears to be internally testing iOS 17.4.1 for the iPhone, based on evidence of the software update in our website’s logs this week. Our logs have revealed the existence of several iOS 17 versions before Apple released them, ranging from iOS 17.0.3 to iOS 17.3.1. iOS 17.4.1 should be a minor update that addresses software bugs and/or security vulnerabilities. It is unclear when…
Apple Announces Ability to Download iPhone Apps From Websites in EU
Apple today announced three further changes for developers in the European Union, allowing them to distribute apps directly from webpages, choose how to design in-app promotions, and more. Apple last week enabled alternative app stores in the EU in iOS 17.4, allowing third-party app stores to offer a catalog of other developers’ apps as well as the marketplace developer’s own apps. As of…
Apple Buys DarwinAI Ahead of Major Generative AI Updates Coming in iOS 18
Thursday March 14, 2024 10:27 am PDT by Juli Clover
Apple acquired Canada-based company DarwinAI earlier this year to build out its AI team, reports Bloomberg. DarwinAI created AI technology for inspecting components during the manufacturing process, and it also had a focus on making smaller and more efficient AI systems. DarwinAI’s website and social media accounts have been taken offline following Apple’s purchase. Dozens of former DarwinAI …
Video Comparison: M3 MacBook Air vs. M3 MacBook Pro
Tuesday March 12, 2024 10:42 am PDT by Juli Clover
With the refresh of the MacBook Air models in March, Apple now has M3 versions of the 13-inch MacBook Air, 14-inch MacBook Pro, and 15-inch MacBook Air, all with the same chip inside. For those trying to decide between the MacBook Pro and the MacBook Air, we did a comparison video to highlight what you’re getting with each machine. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. …
