At its iPhone 15 launch event, Apple discussed the unique features of its products that leverage artificial intelligence, albeit without referring to AI expressly. The Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 were introduced with the S9 chip, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max are powered by the A17 Pro chip. Of particular note is the S9 chip which facilitates the processing of Siri requests on-device – a task that usually occurs in the cloud as an AI operation.
At its iPhone 15 event, Apple discussed features of its products that utilize artificial intelligence, albeit without mentioning AI explicitly. Semiconductors such as the S9 in the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2, and the A17 Pro in the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max were discussed, with focus on the features enabled by these chips. For instance, the S9 is capable of handling requests to Apple's voice assistant Siri on-device, which is an AI process normally occurring in the cloud and only when the watch is connected to the internet. Additionally, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 includes the “double tap” feature requiring AI-processing for its functioning. Despite its lack of explicit AI discussion, Apple is actively investing in artificial intelligence, as indicated by Gene Munster, managing partner at Deepwater Asset Management.
Apple has outfitted the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max with their A17 Pro chip, which is a 3 nanometer semiconductor. The level of nanometers refers to the size of each individual transistor on the chip. The lower the number of nanometers, the more transistors can be fit on the same semiconductor; tiny transistors can result in more powerful and energy efficient chips. The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max are the only phones currently available that boast a 3nm chip.Apple has stated that this chip allows for more accurate predictive typing and enhanced camera technology, both of which require artificial intelligence.
Gene Munster commented saying: "As AI progresses and more applications are developed for it, phones with outdated chips will really struggle to keep up. Chips are a major factor when it comes to using AI, and Apple is ahead of the pack when it comes to building the hardware for this."
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