AI takes backseat as Apple unveils software revamp and new apps

Apple’s artificial intelligence features took a backseat on Monday at its latest annual Worldwide Developers Conference. The company announced a revamped software design called Liquid Glass, new phone and camera apps as well as new features on Apple Watch and Vision Pro. But in spite of pressure to compete with firms that have gone all-in on AI, Apple’s AI announcements were limited to incremental features and upgrades.

Users will have a few new Apple Intelligence-powered features to look forward to including live translation, a real-time language translation feature that will be integrated into messages, FaceTime and the Phone app. The Android operating system has offered a similar feature for several years. Apple also introduced a new fitness app called Workout Buddy, which uses an AI-generated voice to speak to you during your workouts.

Consumers might soon notice some AI improvements to the non-Apple apps on their phone as well. The company said it was enabling app developers to tap into Apple’s on-device large language model to improve their experience with AI features within third-party apps. Consumers will be able to choose whether they want their data or information shared off-device and with the developers.

At last year’s WWDC, Apple announced a suite of AI upgrades to Siri that were intended to make the virtual assistant more personable and dynamic. Many of those features have yet to be released in spite of specific commitments from Apple.

“This work needed more time to reach our high-quality bar,” Craig Federighi, Apple’s vice president of software engineering, previously said of the delay.

The silence on Siri was “deafening”, wrote Forrester’s VP principal analyst Dipanjan Chatterjee.

“The topic was swiftly brushed aside to some indeterminate time next year. Apple continues to tweak its Apple Intelligence features, but no amount of text corrections or cute emojis can fill the yawning void of an intuitive, interactive AI experience,” Chatterjee wrote. “The end of the Siri runway is coming up fast, and Apple needs to lift off.”

Apple also announced a partnership with ChatGPT, a play to help the iPhone-maker catch up OpenAI, Microsoft and Google in the AI race. Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives said he expects Apple may need to forge more relationships with outside players to catch up with its competitors.

“Overall, WWDC laid out the vision for developers but was void of any major Apple Intelligence progress as Cupertino is playing it safe and close to the vest after the missteps last year,” Ives said.

“We get the strategy but this is a big year ahead for Apple to monetize on the AI front, as ultimately Cook and co may be forced into doing some bigger AI acquisitions to jumpstart this AI strategy.”