An extensive interview with Apple CEO Tim Cook sees him somewhat refuting rumors about OpenAI, discussing the possible tension between AI’s energy demands and Apple’s sustainability initiatives, the development of Apple Glasses, and his belief that Apple’s most significant contribution may be in saving lives.
Cook begins by claiming that Apple was not late to the AI scene, noting the inclusion of a neural engine in products as early as 2017…
Apple wasn’t late to AI, nor considering charging for it
Cook’s insights came during a conversation with Wired’s Steven Levy.
Back in 2017 we integrated a neural engine into our devices. It was evident that AI and machine learning were emerging fields. It was clear we needed to allocate significant resources to this; it signified a new era for our offerings.
While there has been speculation about Apple possibly introducing fees for some Apple Intelligence features in the future, Cook seems to effectively dismiss that idea.
We’ve never discussed charging for it. We see it more as something akin to multitouch, which propelled the smartphone wave and transformed tablets.
Ambiguous denial of OpenAI speculations
Over the summer, there were rumors about Phil Schiller joining OpenAI’s board as an observer, only to later deny it, along with potential investments in OpenAI by Apple.
Cook rejected these claims, but as both points were addressed in a single question, the specifics of his denial are somewhat unclear.
Q: Initially Apple was set to have an observer on OpenAI’s board, but now that’s not happening. Recently, there were rumors regarding your participation in their major funding round. You didn’t.
A: That’s entirely untrue. I would say, our modus operandi is not to invest in numerous companies. It’s rarely something we pursue. Thus, to do so here would be unusual, a deviation from our standard.
Q: So you never thought about investing in OpenAI?
A: I won’t claim we’ve never considered it. I’m just suggesting that it would be atypical for us to take that kind of action.
AI’s energy consumption
Levy inquired if there’s a conflict between the heavy energy needs of AI infrastructure and Apple’s environmental objectives.
There are indeed more challenges. But are we shifting our goals? Absolutely not. As we expand our data centers, we are utilizing more renewable energy, and we’ve built that capability over time. Since 2015, we’ve reduced our carbon footprint by more than half, while our net sales have surged by over 50 percent. I am optimistic about achieving our 2030 goal of a carbon-neutral supply chain.
Progressing towards Apple Glasses
Addressing the comparison with Meta and Snap’s glasses, Levy questioned whether that design was the end goal for Vision Pro. Cook seemed to indicate that a product resembling Apple Glasses is part of their long-term vision.
Yes, this will evolve over time in terms of design. AR is incredibly significant. With Vision Pro, we’ve advanced to what is undoubtedly our most sophisticated technology yet, and I believe it represents the pinnacle of current electronic challenges. We’ll see how it develops.
Apple’s key legacy will be lifesaving innovations
Cook stated that the company’s paramount legacy will lie in healthcare, highlighting the numerous lives saved through Apple’s initiatives in this domain.
I genuinely believe that if you take a long-term view and reflect on what Apple’s most significant impact will be, it will indeed be in health. When we began that journey with the Apple Watch, it led to a series of developments. Starting with simple heart rate monitoring, we discovered we could capture heart signals to perform EKGs and identify AFib. Now we monitor sleep apnea. I’ve received countless messages from individuals who credit their survival to alerts from their wrist.
While much of the interview reiterates Cook’s well-known viewpoints, it remains a compelling read.
Image: DMN collage of images by President.gov.ua/CC4.0 and Alexander Grey on Unsplash
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