Free AI at Apple is non-negotiable. This is essentially what Tim Cook says in an interview with Wired.
You will have understood: Galaxy AI, Gemini, Copilot, Apple Intelligence, ChatGPT… artificial intelligence is becoming the sinews of technological war, Tim Cook has rightly taken an interesting position.
The Apple CEO confirmed in an interview with Wired that Apple Intelligence features would remain free, a decision that contrasts radically with the strategy of its competitors.
How does Apple plan to make its massive investments in AI profitable? Because let’s make no mistake: the development of such technologies is extremely expensive. Samsung understands this well, already warning its users that certain AI features will eventually become payable.
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Tim Cook justifies this choice by comparing Apple Intelligence to multitouch, this technology which has revolutionized the way we interact with smartphones. An interesting comparison, but which deserves to be qualified: multitouch was a hardware innovation, while AI represents a continuous service requiring significant resources.
AI at Apple
Contrary to appearances, Apple did not wait for the ChatGPT boom to become interested in AI. “ In 2017, we integrated a neural engine into our products. It was already clear that AI and machine learning were very important areas“, reveals Tim Cook. This methodical approach is typically Apple: rather than rushing to the market, the company prefers to take the time to develop a solution consistent with its ecosystem.
« We wanted to innovate in a way that made things personal and private“, explains the CEO of Apple. A philosophy which translates concretely into the choice to operate a large part of Apple Intelligence directly on the device, rather than in the cloud as its competitors do.
Personal data protection is non-negotiable for Apple, even in the face of the technical requirements of AI. “ We don’t believe there is a trade-off between optimal privacy and optimal intelligence“, says Tim Cook. For models requiring more power, Apple has developed a “private cloud” offering the same level of security as a local device.
The Apple CEO also addresses the ethical question of AI, particularly concerning the authenticity of the content generated. His answer, comparing Apple Intelligence to Logic Pro, seems somewhat evasive. Because if Logic Pro is indeed a creation tool, the AI goes much further by directly suggesting content.
Perhaps the most revealing aspect of this interview concerns the aborted discussions with OpenAI (GPT).
Rather than investing in the company as many speculated, Apple preferred a strategic partnership. “ Our modus operandi is not to invest in a certain number of companies“, specifies Cook, “ So it would be strange, an exception, if we did it here.«
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OpenAI in crisis: why Apple threw in the towel
This “all-in-house” strategy is consistent with Apple’s DNA, but raises questions about its ability to catch up in the field of AI.
Apple Intelligence for 2025 in France
As a reminder, Apple plans to deploy Apple Intelligence in April 2025 in France: “Apple Intelligence features will begin rolling out to iPhone and iPad users in the EU. This will include many key Apple Intelligence features, including Writing Tools, Genmoji, a redesigned Siri with richer language understanding, ChatGPT integration, and much more. »
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Apple Intelligence finally in France: here is its release date on your iPhone and iPad
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