Apple expected to enhance its AI cloud systems with the M4 chip starting next year
Apple has introduced specialized computers designed to handle specific AI requests from Apple Intelligence securely in the cloud, currently utilizing the M2 Ultra chip. It appears that the company plans to enhance its cloud computing systems with the M4 chip starting next year.
Apple’s PCC modules for AI to receive M4 chip next year
A report from Nikkei Asia on Wednesday disclosed that Apple is in discussions with Foxconn to set up new AI servers in Taiwan, as the company aims to accelerate the implementation of its AI-driven functionalities. Sources familiar with the situation suggest that Apple selected Taiwan to leverage the engineering expertise and R&D resources of Nvidia, a customer of Foxconn as well.
For those who may not be aware, Apple Intelligence utilizes a combination of on-device processing and online capabilities. When local language models cannot fulfill a request, Apple employs its Private Cloud Compute (PCC) modules to process it with complete end-to-end encryption. Apple outlines PCC as follows:
For the first time, Private Cloud Compute extends the outstanding security and privacy of Apple devices into the cloud, ensuring that personal user data transmitted to PCC remains inaccessible to anyone other than the user — including Apple. Built on custom Apple silicon and a robust operating system dedicated to privacy, we believe PCC represents the most advanced security framework ever deployed for large-scale cloud AI processing.
DMN initially discovered references to Apple PCCs in early 2023. While most PCCs utilize the M2 Ultra chip, some are equipped with the M1 chip for lighter tasks. Interestingly, according to Nikkei Asia, the upcoming PCC modules being developed next year will feature the newly released M4 chip instead of the M2 Ultra.
The M4 chip series is anticipated to bring considerable improvements for AI processing, so it’s understandable that Apple would opt to upgrade its data processing modules for Apple Intelligence.
The report does not specify which M4 chip variant will be used in the forthcoming PCC modules, but it’s likely that it will be the yet-to-be-released M4 Ultra chip. Apple has recently rolled out announcements for the M4 Pro and M4 Max versions following the introduction of the M4 chip earlier this year.
Apple’s Security Research blog offers additional insights into the workings of Private Cloud Compute, making it a worthwhile read.
