Greetings from NYC. It's great to be home for a few days. If you're heading to SXSW, please let me know. We have all kinds of fun stuff planned.
In the news: If you've been wondering when Apple will have an answer to ChatGPT and the generative AI craze, we may finally have a clue. When asked about Apple's AI plans at their virtual annual shareholder meeting, Apple CEO Tim Cook said there was “incredible breakthrough potential for generative AI, which is why we’re currently investing significantly in this area.” He continued: “We believe it will unlock transformative opportunities for our users when it comes to productivity, problem-solving and more.”
This is not a surprise, but it is a welcome affirmation of Apple's intent to make a strong entry into the generative AI space.
During the meeting, Cook took the opportunity to recast several of Apple's existing products as AI-powered, signaling a shift in the company's narrative from machine learning to a broader AI focus. This includes features like the Vision Pro’s hand-tracking tool and the Apple Watch’s heart rate alerts, which exemplify how AI technology is already integrated into Apple's product ecosystem to improve user experience across both mundane and critical tasks.
My guess is that we'll learn a lot more at WWDC in June. In the meantime, you can delight in the idea that Siri (which has substantial room for improvement) and iOS (which is already pretty awesome) are on track to get the AI upgrades we've been hoping for.
As always, your thoughts and comments are both welcome and encouraged. -s [email protected]
P.S. Got a favorite AI case study? Have a favorite AI-focused app? Have an AI solution that changed your world? Think AI is all hype and nonsense? Please share. I'm doing some super-unscientific armchair research. (You can reply to this email.)
ABOUT SHELLY PALMER
Shelly Palmer is the Professor of Advanced Media in Residence at Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and CEO of The Palmer Group, a consulting practice that helps Fortune 500 companies with technology, media and marketing. Named LinkedIn’s “Top Voice in Technology,” he covers tech and business for Good Day New York, is a regular commentator on CNN and writes a popular daily business blog. He's a bestselling author, and the creator of the popular, free online course, Generative AI for Execs. Follow @shellypalmer or visit shellypalmer.com.
