Talking Tech and AI with Tim Cook!

Summary

In this insightful conversation, Apple's CEO discusses the company's approach to AI, emphasizing the thoughtful integration of generative AI while prioritizing privacy and user benefits. The CEO reflects on Apple's AI journey, from its roots in devices like the Apple Watch to the branding of 'Apple Intelligence.' He also addresses the potential of AI to reduce screen time and shares his vision for empowering users with intelligent tools. The discussion concludes with a personal take on Apple's iconic products, highlighting the transformative impact of devices like the iPhone and iPad.

Takeaways

• 😀 Apple's definition of AI includes not only generative AI but also machine learning applications like crash and fall detection in their devices.
• 🌟 The company views generative AI as a new curve of technology with the potential to significantly improve people's lives, while also acknowledging its potential downsides.
• 🔒 Privacy is a key tenet in Apple's approach to AI, with a focus on integrating AI in a way that respects personal context and user data.
• 🛡️ Apple has introduced 'Apple intelligence' as a branding term to communicate their views on AI, especially in response to generative AI discussions.
• 💡 The company's strategy with AI has been to focus on user benefits rather than the underlying technology, with an emphasis on thoughtful implementation.
• 🚫 Apple is cautious about using AI for nefarious purposes and has implemented measures to avoid such scenarios, including deep integration of privacy considerations.
• 📲 With the advancement of AI, Apple envisions a future where users might spend less time on their devices, as AI assists in making tasks more efficient.
• 💻 Apple's private Cloud compute is designed to offer the security and privacy of on-device processing, even when using cloud-based AI models.
• 📈 Apple's CEO emphasizes empowering users to do more with their tools rather than increasing engagement with Apple's devices.
• 📱 The introduction of new AI capabilities aims to reduce the time users spend on tasks, potentially leading to decreased device usage over time.
• 🏆 Reflecting on Apple's legacy, the CEO focuses on the future and empowering the next generation of leadership at the company.

Q & A

What was the main focus of the WWDC keynote this year?

The main focus of the WWDC keynote was on AI, with a special emphasis on generative AI and its potential applications in improving people's lives while maintaining privacy and security.

How does Apple define AI in the context of their products?

Apple defines AI as the technology that enables features such as crash and fall detection, Siri, and other machine learning capabilities that enhance user experience and safety.

What is Apple's stance on privacy in relation to AI?

Apple views privacy as a fundamental human right and a key tenet of their approach to AI, ensuring that their AI technologies are implemented in a way that respects and protects user privacy.

What is the term 'Apple intelligence' referring to?

'Apple intelligence' is a term used to brand Apple's approach to AI, emphasizing their commitment to user benefits, thoughtful implementation, and privacy.

How does Apple ensure that generative AI is used responsibly?

Apple ensures responsible use of generative AI by integrating it deeply into existing apps, focusing on personal context and privacy, and requiring user consent for any data sharing with external AI models like OpenAI's GPT.

What is 'Private Cloud Compute' and how does it relate to AI?

Private Cloud Compute is Apple's solution for handling AI tasks that require more knowledge than is available within the personal context. It uses the same architecture as the iPhone 15's silicon and software, ensuring safety, security, and privacy.

How does Apple differentiate its approach to AI from other companies?

Apple differentiates its approach by focusing on the user benefits of AI, such as crash and fall detection, rather than the underlying technology, and by emphasizing privacy and on-device processing whenever possible.

What is Apple's view on standalone AI devices in comparison to smartphones?

Apple believes that smartphones are still very effective and that AI should be used to help users spend less time on screens, potentially leading to a future where we use our phones less due to the intelligence built into our devices.

How does Apple's CEO view his legacy and the future of the company?

The CEO does not focus on his legacy, as he believes it is defined by others, and is more focused on the future, particularly on empowering the next CEO to be successful.

What was the significance of the iPhone's introduction and its impact on the world?

The iPhone's introduction was significant because it changed the world with its simplicity and the introduction of the App Store, which fundamentally changed the developer community and led to an economic miracle for many.

What are some of the key Apple products mentioned in the script and their significance?

Key Apple products mentioned include the MacBook Air, known for its slim design and popularity; the iPad, which revolutionized the tablet market; the Magic Mouse, noted for its ergonomics; the iPhone, which had a profound impact on the mobile industry; and the Vision Pro, which offers unique features like 3D photo viewing.

Outlines

00:00

😀 Apple's Approach to AI: Past, Present, and Future

The conversation with Tim Cook highlights Apple's long-standing use of AI, particularly in features like crash detection and fall detection. While generative AI has recently gained popularity, Apple has been integrating AI in its products for years. The focus is on improving lives and maintaining privacy. Apple has now embraced generative AI under the term 'Apple intelligence,' reflecting a shift in how the company discusses its technology publicly. Tim emphasizes the thoughtful and privacy-centric approach Apple takes with AI, ensuring it enhances user experience without compromising security.

05:01

😀 Private Cloud Compute and Generative AI Integration

The discussion moves to Apple's Private Cloud Compute and its arrangement with OpenAI. Tim Cook explains that Private Cloud Compute uses similar architecture to the iPhone 15, ensuring security and privacy comparable to on-device processing. Users will have control over when to use larger language models like OpenAI's ChatGPT. Apple aims to maintain high privacy standards while enabling advanced AI capabilities. The idea is to provide tools that enhance user experience without unnecessary data exposure. The conversation also touches on the potential for AI to reduce screen time by making devices smarter and more efficient.

10:01

😀 Apple's Product Legacy: A Blind Ranking Game

Tim Cook participates in a blind ranking game, listing his top five Apple products without knowing the full list upfront. He discusses the impact of products like the MacBook Air, iPad, Magic Mouse, iPhone, and Vision Pro. Each product's significance is highlighted, from the iconic launch of the MacBook Air to the transformative nature of the iPhone and the immersive experience of the Vision Pro. Tim shares personal anecdotes and insights into how these products have shaped Apple's legacy and his own experiences with them.

15:03

😀 Vision Pro and Enterprise Adoption

The conversation concludes with a focus on Vision Pro and its adoption by businesses. Tim Cook notes the surprising speed at which enterprises are exploring Vision Pro, with half of the Fortune 100 companies purchasing it for various projects. The emotional impact of using Vision Pro to view personal photos in 3D is also discussed, showcasing its potential beyond business applications. Tim expresses optimism about the future of AI and Apple's role in leading technological advancements while maintaining a user-centric approach.

Keywords

💡AI (Artificial Intelligence)

AI refers to the simulation of human intelligence in machines that are programmed to think like humans and mimic their actions. In the video's context, AI is central to the discussion about Apple's technological advancements and its integration into various products. Apple's approach to AI is highlighted as being thoughtful and privacy-focused, with generative AI being a new addition to their portfolio.

💡WWDC (Apple Worldwide Developers Conference)

WWDC is an annual event where Apple showcases new software and technologies. The script mentions the WWDC keynote, indicating that the discussion is framed around the announcements and insights shared during this conference, which often includes updates on AI and machine learning advancements.

💡Generative AI

Generative AI is a subset of AI focused on creating new content rather than just recognizing or predicting existing patterns. The script discusses how generative AI has captured people's imagination and represents a new frontier for Apple, with the potential to significantly enhance user experience.

💡Crash Detection

Crash Detection is a feature in Apple devices that uses AI to identify when the user may have been in a severe accident and automatically contacts emergency services. It exemplifies the practical application of AI in Apple's products, emphasizing the company's commitment to safety and user well-being.

💡Fall Detection

Similar to Crash Detection, Fall Detection is an AI-powered feature designed to recognize when a user has taken a hard fall and offers to contact emergency services. This feature is part of Apple's broader AI strategy to enhance personal safety and health monitoring.

💡APIB (Apple's Personal Intelligence Budget)

APIB is a concept that represents Apple's commitment to processing user data locally on the device to protect privacy. The script implies that machine learning tasks are performed on the device itself, minimizing the need to send data to the cloud and aligning with Apple's privacy-centric approach.

💡Privacy

Privacy is a key theme in the video, with Apple emphasizing its importance in the development of AI technologies. The company's approach to AI is described as being 'thoughtful,' with privacy being a fundamental human right and a core consideration in their AI development.

💡Apple Intelligence

Apple Intelligence is a term used in the script to refer to the company's AI initiatives and capabilities. It signifies Apple's branding of its AI technologies and reflects a strategic pivot to be more open about their AI efforts while maintaining a focus on user benefits.

💡Private Cloud Compute

Private Cloud Compute is a service mentioned in the script that allows for AI processing to be done securely in the cloud, using the same architecture as Apple's devices. This service is designed to maintain the privacy and security of user data while leveraging the power of cloud computing for more complex AI tasks.

💡Neural Engines

Neural Engines are hardware components in Apple devices designed to accelerate machine learning tasks. The script alludes to these engines as part of Apple's underlying AI infrastructure, which powers features like Crash and Fall Detection without necessarily being in the spotlight.

💡Vision Pro

Vision Pro, likely referring to Apple's Pro Display XDR, is a high-end reference display that offers advanced features for professionals. In the script, it's mentioned for its ability to enhance the user experience with multitasking and its emotional impact through the use of technology to revitalize old photos.

Highlights

Apple has been executing with AI for a long time, with machine learning at the root of products like the Apple Watch and its crash and fall detection features.

The generative AI space has captured people's imagination and Apple sees it as an opportunity for a new curve of technology to improve people's lives.

Apple is approaching AI thoughtfully, with a focus on privacy as a key tenet of their AI strategy.

Apple has shifted from not mentioning AI to branding it as 'Apple Intelligence', showing their views on generative AI.

Apple's approach to generative AI is to implement it in ways that are less likely to create issues, with a focus on personal context and privacy.

Private Cloud Compute utilizes the same architecture as the iPhone 15's silicon, aiming to be as safe, secure, and private as the device itself.

Apple has made a conscious decision to work with OpenAI and Chat GPT for large language models, ensuring user data is only sent with explicit consent.

There is potential for using AI to help people spend less time on their devices, aligning with Apple's goal of empowering users rather than seeking engagement.

Apple's model is to provide tools that enable users to do incredible things they couldn't do otherwise, rather than just increasing screen time.

Apple has features like Screen Time and Focus modes to help users manage their device usage.

The CEO's legacy at Apple is not something he defines himself, but rather what others perceive based on his contributions and the company's focus on the future.

Apple is optimistic about the future of AI and its potential to make people's lives better, with a focus on empowering users.

The MacBook Air's introduction was a significant moment for Apple, showcasing the device's thin and light design.

The iPad revolutionized the tablet market with its focus on being the best, not the first, and has become an essential device for many users.

The Magic Mouse was an important ergonomic advancement for Apple, improving the user experience with its design.

The iPhone's introduction changed the world with its simplicity and focus on three core functions, opening up a new era in mobile computing.

The introduction of the App Store a year after the iPhone was a game-changer for developers and led to a diverse and thriving developer community.

Vision Pro has been embraced by enterprises, with half of the Fortune 100 exploring its use for various projects, showing its versatility.

Vision Pro's ability to enhance old photos and provide a 3D viewing experience has emotional significance for users, allowing them to revisit memories in a new way.

Transcripts

all right Tim great to see you thanks

for spending the time thank you for

coming so you had the WWDC keynote today

yeah which was really fun to watch it

was a whole two hours I want to zoom all

the way out because obviously a lot of

talk about AI in general yeah and I I'm

kind of just left wondering how Apple

defines AI in general cuz I know if you

ask a regular person you might hear

about generative AI chat Bots things

like that yeah and these are relatively

new additions to Apple's AI portfolio

how do you look at AI as Apple well

we've

been executing with AI for a long time

right uh it's at the you're wearing a

watch it's at the root of the watch I

mean you think about things like crash

detection fall

detection things like apib and all of

this kind of stuff is machine learning

at the end of the day and so but what

has captured people's imagination is

generative Ai and we see it as the

opportunity for a whole new curve of

technology and and providing and doing

more things for people providing an

assistant for people uh things that

really improve people's lives so that's

how we see it um there's

obviously uh it's not without downside

and so we have approach it very

thoughtfully sure and uh and as as you

heard we we have always been focused on

privacy and so privacy is a very key

tenant of our thrust into AI right it's

been interesting to watch Apple's Arc

with AI because I I made a whole piece

not more than about a year ago about how

Apple seems to never say AI even though

they have all these these neural engines

and machine learning and things like

that yeah and and so now we have almost

this pivot where now we're just saying

it we're actually branding it it's Apple

intelligence now I'm curious why that

change now well the in the in the

beginning and throughout almost

everything that we always do we always

talk about the benefit to the user and

so the benefit to the user is Crash

detection and fall detection not the

technology behind the feature and so we

still we we still view it like that but

it became

clear uh that people wanted to know our

views on on generative AI in particular

uh and and so we decided to embrace it

and uh called it Apple intelligence okay

uh I have a quote from I the DU Leia

interview that you did was great um it

was fun she's fantastic I was I loved it

it was great I you had a quote that said

uh about AI if it can be used for

nefarious things we won't go down that

road yeah and at the time I assumed that

that meant generative AI was off the

table because of all the things that

we'd seen about what it was potentially

capable of or things that it might do um

has that changed is that something that

was off the table and you figure now

you've got the right tools or the right

restrictions to make sure that that all

goes Super well how do you think about

that generative AI was never off the

table it was always about pursuing it in

a thoughtful kind of way

and uh and so that that's what we've

done and we've implemented it in ways

that

are uh less likely to create issues how

so uh how so well things that if you

think about the kinds of things that we

talked about we talked about uh personal

context and we talked about privacy and

so we're not waiting for

a comprehensive privacy legislation

regulation to come into effect we we

already view privacy as a fundamental

human right and so that's the way we

that's the lens that we see it at uh and

given that we're doing those things

personal context and privacy we wanted

to integrate it at a deep level so

you're not having to think oh well now I

want to do something that uses

intelligence we put it in the apps that

you're already using and integrated it

deeply right yeah I think also now

there's a lot of talk about it now there

is generative AI yeah um a lot of people

have I mean Apple's notorious for never

sending anything to the cloud

everything's on device because that is

the most secure way to do it and was

applauded for it interestingly this is a

little bit different now with a lot of

these larger models more complex

requests you actually do have to go off

device so you've developed want to get

the name right private Cloud compute

explain this to us cuz I think the The

General online is well they have to be

sending data to open AI for example to

get a request back from chat GPT well

there's private CL compute and then

there's the uh uh arrangement with open

AI these two things are different okay

and so if you look at private Cloud

compute we're utilizing the same silicon

or not the same silicon but the same

basic architecture as the Silicon that's

in the well that's in the iPhone 15 yeah

and uh and and we're using the same

software and so we we believe that we've

done it in such a way that it's as safe

and secure and private in the private

Cloud compute as the device and so we

really we really worked on this a a a

lot and put a lot of wood behind that

Arrow to to assure

that if you're if you're working on

something that requires wh knowledge so

you're out of the the domain of personal

context and so forth uh then you you may

want to go and use one of the large

language models that are on the market

and we we selected what we feel is the

best one with open Ai and chat

GPT uh but you'll make a conscious

decision to do that every time every

time so you you can guarantee that there

will never be any data sent to open AI

without your explicit user right that's

right you decide right I I also feel

like there was this blip on the radar of

Standalone AI devices which I found

really interesting they didn't land too

well I think smartphones are pretty

great but there was an interesting

conversation around that about using

your phone less maybe having AI help you

out in ways that let you spend less time

on the screen and this is something you

echoed also in the doal leap interview

like if you're looking at your phone

more than you're looking at someone

else's size something's off there yeah

do you think there's a potential future

where we're using our phones less

because of how well the intelligence

works I think it's a possibility and a

significant possibility I mean for us

we've never been motivated for people to

spend their lives on their

devices uh our our model is not one that

needs engagement to succeed our model is

one that where we want to empower you to

to be able to do things you couldn't do

otherwise we want to give you a tool so

you can do incredible things uh that you

couldn't do without the tool that that's

what motivates us and and so we you know

we come out with things like screen time

Etc so it's a bit in your face as to how

much you're using your

device uh we come out with we count your

notifications and so forth so that you

can go in and say do I really want this

many notifications and and we have

Focus uh kinds of states where you can

silence the the phone Etc and so I I do

believe that as things get smarter and

smarter with apple

intelligence that you can even take

things that we're taking more time will

take less time now right and uh and so I

do think that opportunity exists

interesting yeah it's a curious future

it is it it is and I and I think a

really I'm really optimistic about it

yeah I also I feel like there was tons

of chatter when you were first CEO of

Apple about this new shift obviously

coming from Steve Jobs and you've been

CEO for for it feels like a long time

now and we're entering this new age of

AI and I'm curious now now there's new

chatter about who whose next CEO is

going to be what do you feel like your

your legacy as CEO at Apple should be

yeah marz I don't think about it okay

and so to to me a legacy is something

that is uh defined by other people

looking at you not something that you

define yourself very fair and and so I

and I typically am always focused on the

forward not the rearview Mir

and that's that is a characteristic of

Apple in general is we're very focused

on the forward you you won't find a

museum here and yet we would have lots

of things that you might like to see and

and reminisce about but we just don't

it's just not a part of our culture yeah

and and so I feel the same way

personally uh at some point there will

be another CEO and uh and and my whole

focus in life will on will be on making

them successful yeah I like that answer

it's very LeBron answer I feel like he

said that things yeah uh all right I

want to end with a little game uh I

don't know if you've seen these where a

blind ranking have you seen what these

are a blind ranking blind ranking so

we're going to do a top five Apple

products of all time but I'm going to

give you them one at a time and you

don't know what the rest of them are so

you have to rank the first one without

knowing what 2 3 four and five are oh

and this is your ranking this will be

your unofficial ranking just based on

your gut reaction of how you feel about

the know this is a tough one because it

a tough one it's like asking you your

favorite kids or nephews or nieces and

we'll see how it goes yeah okay number

one MacBook Air it had that iconic

moment of like taking it out the

envelope on stage it's the most popular

laptop in the world I think it's the

most popular in the world and that

moment of taking it out of the

folder uh established a characteristic

about that device that lives today the

the first one it wasn't about how many

people would buy it yeah uh it was about

establishing the foundation was that the

first air that was that was uh of any

line yeah you might have been I believe

so yes okay I believe so and so I I'm

going to fail miserably at giving you a

ranking but it was a huge moment yeah a

huge moment for the company the

iPad oh wow you know uh tablets had been

in the market for a long time our

objective is never to be first our

objective is to be best I remember all

the rumors leading up to it and there

were many rumors leading up to it and

and uh people thought

uh many things that weren't too nice

about it in the in the beginning

including the name uh and and yet I

couldn't live without my iPad today yeah

and uh and and so another huge moment

for the for the company my number three

is the Magic

Mouse The Magic

Mouse

uh it was also an incredible

moment um people don't think of that as

much as they would the MacBook Air and

the iPad and whatever else you're going

to name

probably uh but the getting

the

ergonomics well done and uh was key with

Magic Mouse yeah okay four out of five

the iPhone oh my God it changed the

world it definitely changed the world it

changed the world and and

uh the the

Simplicity of defining the three things

yeah that were that were the on the

phone was brilliant to get people to

think about it like that and of course

opening up this isn't talked about as

much but initially you'll remember that

there was not an app store right the App

Store came a year later and that changed

everything in the developer

Community uh because now now I meet with

uh students every WWDC and they give me

such great inspiration there were no

students in the developer community at

that particular point in time now

they're the developer population is very

diverse from an age point of view and

everything else and uh it it it just

fundamentally it it became an economic

miracle for people and uh and got well

outside of just doing it for a hobby it

it was or you look at all the businesses

that that came out of it yeah and now we

have WWDC that's right last but not

least Vision

Pro oh I I

uh I love Vision Pro I was just using it

last night to look at the a screening

yeah what do you use Vision Pro for I

asked everybody who has one what they

use it for I use it

for uh the entertainment uh value I use

it when I want to do

multitasking because I find the multiple

windows really effective in in doing

this um of course I'm reviewing lots of

apps on it right now and some of those

are Enterprise apps some some people's

proprietary apps that they want to share

with us and

and I'm seeing an

extraordinary uh number and variety of

things coming out of the Enterprise area

far earlier than we would have predicted

interesting because businesses generally

move slow to adopt yeah and and what

we're seeing is that half of the Fortune

100 is now buying Vision Pro for some

project or the other or exploring it and

uh and so I I I'm looking at several of

those and uh yeah I I I find that it's

still an emotional experience to look at

your photos and with vision os2 being

able to take your old photos yeah and

make them 3D I think is a big big thing

yeah and you know I lost both of my

parents and before Vision Pro came out

and being able to go

back and look at those photos

differently is yeah is something that

you know it's it's an experience you

can't replicate for sure well we didn't

get a blind ranking but we got a pretty

good retrospective of some of these

products thanks again for the time

looking forward to the next uh next

feature drops in the next dub du but uh

this was fun thank you yeah it was great

fun thank you for coming thanks for

having me

oh