Apple's answer to ChatGPT could be ready in time for iPhone 16

A new report into Apple’s answer to the generative AI craze says the company’s answer to ChatGPT could be ready as early as iOS 18 and the arrival of next year’s iPhone.

Multiple reports indicate that Apple is working on some kind of generative AI feature for some of its products. The project, known internally as “Ajax” and dubbed “AppleGPT” by some, has made headlines in recent months following a surge of interest in popular generative AI tools, notably OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

In July it was reported that Apple was worried about missing the boat on a “potentially paramount shift in how devices operate,” and was laying the foundations of a “large language model”. The system is already being used by Apple internally, and a September report stated Apple was spending “millions of dollars a day” on its ChatGPT competitor.

Apple GPT in iOS 18?

Now, analyst Jeff Pu says that Apple will likely build “a few hundred AI servers in 2023, and significantly more next year.” That’s according to MacRumors which picked up a research note from Pu on Wednesday. The report says Pu “believes Apple will offer a combination of cloud-based AI and so-called « edge AI, » which involves more on-device data processing” but cautions that “patience will be required” as Apple balances protecting and using the personal data of its customers.

The report claims Apple “plans to start implementing generative AI technology on the iPhone and iPad in late 2024,” a timeframe that could see it shipped with iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 alongside Apple’s next best iPhone, the iPhone 16.

Alleged possible uses include using large language models incorporated into Siri to automate complex tasks using Apple’s Shortcuts app.

If that’s too long for you to wait, then it’s already possible to replace Siri with ChatGPT on iPhone by installing ChatGPT on your iPhone. Possible uses include creating food recipes, launching gaming guides, reading celebrity biographies, and more.