Siri, where's my AI? Clock ticks for Apple in tech race
Hundreds of app developers swarmed Apple's Cupertino campus this week, some pausing to snap selfies at the Worldwide Developers Conference signs before racing to score deck chairs in front of the event's outdoor stage.
But while enthusiasm rippled through the audience before the keynote, with smartphones and hands held high, the usual cheers that greeted speakers sounded more subdued this year.
Those eager to hear developments in artificial intelligence may have been disappointed: Apple revealed it needed more time to supercharge its voice assistant Siri with the technology and unveiled only a handful of AI software features.
The company's announcements are proof, experts and analysts say, the tech brand is "falling behind the curve" on AI innovation, and they warn Apple may not have as much time as it thinks to close the gap on its rivals.
If Apple suffers further delays, they say it could miss the next wave of AI innovation, including devices that will no longer need screens to hold our attention.
Despite the company's Siri setback, Apple did not shy away from addressing artificial intelligence at its annual event.
After recapping earlier AI additions, software engineering senior vice-president Craig Federighi previewed a series of AI features to work across Apple iPhones, iPads, Watches, Macs and AirPods later this year.
"We're integrating features in even more places across each of our operating systems," he told attendees.
An AI-powered Call Screening tool will ask unknown callers for their details before users pick up, for example, and Live Translation will interpret foreign languages across messages, video and audio calls in real time.
An AI text-to-speech tool called Workout Buddy will deliver motivational messages and fitness data into the ears of Apple Watch users during workouts, and iPhone users will be able to search the web for items captured in screenshots.
But the most obvious target for an Apple AI software upgrade, Siri, will not receive one imminently, Mr Federighi said, as the company needs "more time" to deliver a high-quality outcome.
The omission shows Apple has "dropped the ball" when it comes to artificial intelligence, UNSW AI Institute chief scientist Toby Walsh says, particularly in comparison to its rivals.
"It's not hard to criticise them for falling behind the curve compared to Microsoft or Google, Facebook or other competitors," he says.
"Apple hasn't shown their ability in recent years to be innovative in this space."
Part of the reason for this delay is the company's protective approach to data, Prof Walsh says.
While some other firms have harvested as much public and personal information as possible to train AI models and gain an early advantage, he says, Apple is playing "a longer game" in keeping AI processing on devices and in secure environments as much as possible.
The AI gap between the company and rivals including Google, Microsoft and Samsung is becoming more obvious, Telsyte managing director Foad Fadaghi says, and will put Apple under greater pressure from the market and buyers.
"The innovation happening in AI is happening at a much faster rate than any previous technological innovation, including the internet and smartphones," he says.
"It's not like Apple just needs to catch up, it needs to overtake and that's a difficult challenge in the current environment as many trillion-dollar organisations are going after the same AI prize."
Last month, Google announced plans to create a universal personal assistant under the name Project Astra, for example, while Samsung is reportedly considering a partnership with AI search service Perplexity.
Apple's upcoming AI software features will undoubtedly be appreciated by consumers, Mr Fadaghi says, but even the most loyal among them will be watching what its competition does next.
"Consumers love the Apple brand and products and they'll give it some time to find its AI legs but it's going to get harder," he says.
Failing to give Siri artificial intelligence skills could also affect Apple's involvement in future consumer devices, Prof Walsh says, some of which will not have traditional inputs and will rely on voice, touch and context.
OpenAI is working with former Apple designer Jony Ive to develop a pocket-friendly, screen-free device with microphones and sensors, for example, and it is in this field that an AI-powered voice tool like Siri could be most useful.
"I've argued for a long time that the AI interface of the future is one you talk to because that works on your devices - it works for your toaster, it works for your front door, it works for your light bulb, it works for your car," Prof Walsh tells AAP.
"None of those necessarily have screens, none of them have keyboards but you can talk to those things and they could talk back to you.
"If I had the resources of Apple, that's where I'd be putting my money."
This AAP article was made possible by support from Apple.
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