Apple has joined other tech giants like OpenAI, Amazon, Google, Meta and Microsoft in agreeing to a set of voluntary AI safety rules established by the Biden administration (via Bloomberg).
The safeguards are a first step in the US government having oversight of how artificial intelligence technology develops. Apple’s cooperation comes ahead of the launch of its suite of Apple Intelligence features, starting with iOS 18 this fall.
Apple Intelligence is not yet available in the beta channels for iOS 18, iPadOS 18 or macOS Sequoia. However, the company has pledged for some Apple Intelligence features to be available in beta soon, with the first set of features launching to customers by the end of the year.
Other improvements, like an overhaul to Siri taking advantage of in-app actions and personal context, are expected to roll out in the spring of 2025.
Apple Intelligence will be supported by iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, and is expected to include all iPhone 16 models launching this fall. For Mac and iPad platforms, if your device runs on an Apple Silicon chip, it will support Apple Intelligence.
The administrations safety rules outline commitments for the companies to test behavior of AI systems, ensuring they do not exhibit discriminatory tendencies or have national security concerns. The results of conducted tests must be shared with governments and academia for peer review.
At least for now, the White House AI guidelines are not enforceable in law. Congress has yet to pass a bill for formal AI regulation, but these tech companies are agreeing voluntarily in good faith.
Apple Intelligence will include features like proofreading and writing tools, priority notifications, emoji and photo image generation, and a more intelligent Siri based on a semantic index of personal information on your device. Apple Intelligence functionality is powered by a combination of on-device models, and private cloud server processing running on Apple’s servers.
Apple is also integrating third-party AI providers into its operating systems, starting with ChatGPT this fall.
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