Like many organizations, Apple may be wondering how the latest AI developments should affect its business. Apple is sure it wants more generative AI talent.
At least a dozen job advertisements on Cupertino’s career page want generative AI expertise. It seeks machine learning experts “passionate about building extraordinary autonomous systems” in the sector. The job advertising, some of which appear to cover the same post or require several applications, began appearing on April 27 and ended earlier this week.
The company’s confusing signals on generative AI precede the job advertisements. On the company’s Q2 results call earlier this month, CEO Tim Cook avoided queries about the area but didn’t reject them. Instead, he called generative AI “very interesting,” but Apple will take a “deliberate and thoughtful” approach.
The WSJ reported yesterday that the corporation had restricted some employees’ usage of OpenAI’s ChatGPT and other external generative AI tools due to concerns about private data seeping out. Apple’s restrictions aren’t novel. Tech and non-tech enterprises have similar limits. Moreover, apple’s policy may be old.
The WSJ reports that Apple is developing generative AI products, and OpenAI published its ChatGPT iOS app yesterday. Hiring more generative AI professionals may help achieve those goals. Apple has yet to comment on the job advertisements.
Integrated System Experience, Input Experience NLP, Machine Learning R&D, and the Technology Development Group have openings in San Diego, the Bay Area, and Seattle.
Some opportunities involve machine learning professionals working on “visual generative modeling to power applications across computation photography, image and video editing, 3D shape and motion reconstruction [and] avatar generation.”
As said, it’s unclear what these people would be working on—new products or renewing old ones—but Apple’s effort to hire more generative AI talent shouldn’t be a surprise.
With the 2011 launch of Siri, the company was an early mover in consumer AI applications. For years, it was one of the biggest technology companies identifying and recruiting AI talent from other companies, startups, and even university labs and Ph.D. projects.
Apple and other industry giants like Google and Amazon have been criticized for lagging in the newest AI wave. Microsoft-backed OpenAI, Midjourney, and Stability led that wave.AI and generative AI may respond to basic verbal cues with comprehensive responses based on tremendous knowledge.
Leviathans have made several attempts to catch up. In March, The New York Times reported on Apple’s internal event to showcase its work and tests in “language-generating concepts,” large language models, and other AI tools.
Apple will likely take its strategy. Its visual AI work has focused on on-device processing, privacy, and developer tools. Next month, Apple’s developer-focused WWDC presentation will be watched for generative AI developments. Many expect it to reveal its AR/VR headgear alongside updated iPhone and iPad software.
