Apple Opens AI Models to Developers in iOS 19
Apple is poised to significantly expand its artificial intelligence capabilities by offering its AI models to third-party developers. This move, expected to be unveiled at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), will introduce a new software development kit (SDK) within iOS 19. This SDK will grant developers access to the same large language models powering features like notification summaries and Genmoji, initially focusing on smaller, on-device models for improved performance and accessibility.
Addressing Past Shortcomings
The decision comes amidst criticism regarding the delayed rollout of key Apple Intelligence features. The anticipated personalized Siri experience, initially slated for iOS 18, has been pushed back to iOS 19. Similarly, features such as Writing Tools and Image Playground have yet to achieve widespread adoption. By providing developers access to its AI framework, Apple aims to generate innovative use cases that will ultimately boost consumer interest. Currently, developers can only integrate existing AI features, not create their own using Apple's technology. This SDK will change that, allowing for the creation of entirely new AI-powered experiences.
Future AI Ambitions
While the immediate focus is on the iOS 19 SDK, Apple's long-term AI strategy involves more ambitious projects. The company is actively developing its own in-house large language models (LLMs). A future iteration of Siri, leveraging these LLMs to function more like popular chatbots, is anticipated, though not expected until iOS 20 at the earliest.
Source: Mac Rumors