Apple Unveils Overhauled Siri, AI Features After Tepid Investor Response

Apple Unveils Overhauled Siri, AI Features After Tepid Investor Response

Apple unveiled its next-generation artificial intelligence platform, Apple Intelligence, at the Worldwide Developers Conference yesterday. This platform, underpinned by Google technology, includes a revamped digital assistant, Siri AI, which Craig Federighi, Apple's software chief, calls 'more intelligent, knowledgeable and capable' than its predecessor.

And the presentation was met with a lukewarm reception from Apple investors, with shares down about 0.7 per cent at the conclusion of the presentation.

Craig Federighi announced that the new software updates would focus on three key areas: AI, performance improvements, and security. The upgrades will enable software and photos to load faster, and new child safety protections will manage screen time to prevent kids from accessing inappropriate content.

Apple also announced that its new AI features wouldn't be available in China while the company works through regulatory requirements. The rollout of the technology in the EU will be slowed by regulations in that region.

Siri AI, the new digital assistant, will be available in English at first, before expanding quickly to other languages, Apple said. The assistant will have a standalone app and a more chatbot-like interface, Bloomberg News reported.

According to Federighi, the new AI features will be able to better understand the context of users' requests, and enhance Apple's Visual Intelligence features, providing information about what users see.

Apple's next macOS, scheduled for release, will be called Golden Gate. The company made changes to its Liquid Glass design, which was unveiled last year, including a slider to adjust the magnitude of the effect. Some customers had complained that text can be hard to read with Liquid Glass.

The changes to Liquid Glass and the new search feature are designed to make them more effective. Apple hopes the new features will help the company catch up with its Silicon Valley rivals, such as Google and Amazon.

'Siri is more intelligent, knowledgeable and capable,' Craig Federighi said.

The overhaul of Siri is crucial to Apple's AI comeback. The new capabilities will help modernize the technology and bring it more in line with its Silicon Valley rivals.

Federighi announced that the next macOS, scheduled for release, will be called Golden Gate. Apple also made significant changes to its Liquid Glass design, which was unveiled last year. The company added a slider to adjust the effect and made other improvements to address customer complaints about text readability.

The presentation was met with a lukewarm reception from Apple investors, with shares down about 0.7 per cent at the conclusion of the presentation.

Apple stated that its new AI features won't be available in China while the company navigates regulatory requirements. The rollout of the technology in the EU will be slowed by regulations in that region.

Siri AI, the new digital assistant, will be available in English at first, before expanding to other languages, Apple said. The assistant will have a standalone app and a more chatbot-like interface, according to Bloomberg News.

This is a critical moment for Apple, which needs to demonstrate to investors and consumers that its AI technology is back on track. When Apple unveiled the Apple Intelligence platform two years ago, many features were slow to arrive or inferior to rival offerings.

Apple's next macOS, scheduled for release, will be called Golden Gate. The company also updated its Liquid Glass design and made changes to its search feature to make them more effective.