Apple has initiated efforts in the realm of artificial intelligence to stay competitive with the likes of OpenAI and Google in terms of AI capabilities. Since 2018, Apple has onboarded a minimum of 36 professionals skilled in AI development from Google, as per a study by the Financial Times analyzing LinkedIn profiles. Notably, John Giannandrea, Google's former AI head, now serves as Apple's top AI executive.
Apple's Focus on AI Talent Acquisition
An Apple Research Paper recently unveiled details about multimodal large language models, showcasing six authors who transitioned from Google within the last two years. Furthermore, out of the 31 authors, nine identified Google as their previous employer on LinkedIn. Additionally, two professionals made the move from Microsoft to Apple. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has also made efforts to recruit Google's AI researchers through personal correspondence.
The Ongoing "AI Talent War"
This trend is indicative of a broader "AI talent war" among tech giants. Notably, Google attracted Logan Kilpatrick, OpenAI's former head of developer relations. In line with Apple's AI development, the company has assembled a team of AI experts within a clandestine European laboratory based in Zurich. These professionals boast experience working with major tech companies, including Google. Referred to as the "Vision Lab," this facility appears to concentrate on advanced multimodal large language models. Apple's other AI hubs are situated in California and Seattle.
Enriching iOS 18 with AI Features
Anticipated developments aim to enhance iOS 18 with generative AI functionalities across various applications such as Siri, Spotlight, Shortcuts, Apple Music, Messages, Health, Keynote, Numbers, and Pages. Apple opts for an on-device approach to power these features and has recently acquired French startup Datakalab to bolster the development of its on-device large language model.
