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DTW
During the Week, Powered by Apple Intelligence, Siri was brought back to focus to become more deeply integrated into the iOS experience.
During its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), Apple just launched a new AI system called Apple Intelligence for iPhones, iPads, and Macs. This isn't just any AI though, it focuses on understanding individual users and their habits to provide super relevant and helpful features. They achieve this by combining powerful AI models with user data stored securely on the device and in the cloud. This way,Apple Intelligence can assist users with tasks and personalize their experience without compromising privacy. It's basically AI designed with Apple's focus on user privacy in mind.
Apple's latest AI innovation, Apple Intelligence, seamlessly integrates into its tightly controlled ecosystem, offering a smooth, user-friendly experience across iPhones, iPads, and Macs. This strategic move not only underscores Apple's commitment to privacy but also potentially justifies the premium pricing of their products.
Seamless AI for Apple Fanatics: Apple's advantage lies in its tightly controlled ecosystem. iPhones, iPads, and Macs all work together to create a smooth user experience. Their AI, called Apple Intelligence, seamlessly integrates into this ecosystem, providing helpful features without feeling intrusive. Imagine an AI assistant that anticipates user needs and completes tasks across different apps. This "delightful" experience may justify the higher cost of Apple products, especially when compared to the frustration of piecing together functionalities from different brands.
Privacy You Can Trust: Data privacy is a major concern with AI, but Apple has built its reputation on user privacy.Remember the "App Tracking Transparency" update that shook the tech industry a few years ago? Apple takes data privacy seriously. Most of Apple Intelligence works directly on personal device, keeping customers’ data secure. Even their optional integration with ChatGPT, a powerful AI tool, doesn't compromise privacy. They use their own chips (Apple Silicon) and a custom-designed small language model built for mobile devices, keeping everything under their control. Unlike other companies, customer data stays on device, not sent to servers where it could be accessed by others.
The Apple Walled Garden: There's a flip side to Apple's tight control - a closed ecosystem some call a "walled garden." Apple Intelligence features are only available on the latest Apple devices, specifically the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, newer iPads, and Macs with M1 chips or later. This strategy might encourage users to upgrade to experience the newest AI features. It's a calculated move, as Apple's growth has slowed down recently. While loyal Apple users might upgrade for minor improvements, powerful AI features could be a more enticing reason to open their wallets.
Learning from the Pack: While OpenAI released a free version of their powerful AI tool, ChatGPT4o, Apple took a different approach. They waited patiently for the AI market to mature before jumping in. Unlike OpenAI's strategy of getting users hooked on a free product then charging later, Apple focused on perfecting their AI offering. With their vast cash reserves (more than 150 Billion USD as cash reserves), they didn't need to rush into the market. Now, they can potentially use AI as a key selling point for their latest devices, especially since Apple Intelligence features won't be available on older models. This "wait and see" approach might pay off, giving Apple a more polished and user-friendly AI experience compared to earlier offerings from competitors.
To conclude, Apple's approach to AI, emphasizing privacy and seamless integration, sets it apart in the competitive tech landscape. By leveraging its closed ecosystem and vast resources , Apple ensures a polished, user-friendly experience that could entice loyal users to upgrade. This "wait and see" strategy, coupled with a focus on data security, positions Apple Intelligence as a significant selling point, potentially driving growth and reinforcing Apple's market leadership.
OTW
Over the Weekend, I attended an intimate and enriching interaction about role of meditation in everyday life led by Pannya Gulati, an exuberant teenager who practices Vipasanna. That it happened over some wonderful home-cooked food and cake made it totally awesome.
Many of my close friends have been practitioners of Vipassana Meditation as taught by S.N. Goenka in the tradition of Sayagyi U Ba Khin and have been kind enough to share their insights about the various courses offered by their centres across the country. I was pleasantly surprised that Pannya has completed the teenager specific 7-day courses and is keen to participate in the longer format 10 day courses.
Amongst the main tenets of Code of Discipline is Noble Silence. All students must observe Noble Silence from the beginning of the course until the morning of the last full day. Noble Silence means silence of body, speech, and mind. Any form of communication with fellow student, whether by gestures, sign language, written notes, etc., is prohibited. For many of us who have been brought up in the constant bombardment of notifications and stimulations from social media, this might turn out to be the most onerous condition so I politely pushed Pannya on the “inactivity” part of the life at the Dhamma centres. In her own words,
I recall my initial frustration at the beginning of the course; I only saw the difference vipassana had made when, upon returning to everyday life, I found myself calmer and more patient especially in stressful situations.
As I wrote about Apple Inc. and its illustrious founder Steve Jobs, I reflected on the other side of Jobs around meditation especially in his early and final years. He visited India to see and feel for himself and returned utterly disappointed but not before reading one of the his life long companion book -Autobiography of a Yogi' by Paramhansa Yogananda.
"Coming back to America was, for me, much more of a cultural shock than going to India. The people in the Indian countryside don't use their intellect like we do, they use their intuition instead, and their intuition is far more developed than in the rest of the world. Intuition is a very powerful thing, more powerful than intellect, in my opinion. That's had a big impact on my work."
Steve Jobs: The Exclusive Biography by Walter Isaacson
He learnt from Indians about intuition and has an incredible realization that his intuition was his greatest gift, and he needed to look at the world from the inside out.
Perhaps, inside out is what we need in our life and there is an opportunity to practice it during the upcoming Digital Desh 14.0 in Bihar. More info in the next section.
I Love You
Shailendra
OTM
Opportunities through MountainSpeak is available for Digital Desh 14.0.
Digital Desh is a Research Platform by NowFloats aimed at deeply understanding the inside of the internet of India: Discover it’s changing behaviour patterns around digital technology and tell the stories that truly represent the spirit of the digital revolution currently driving India.
Digital Desh 14.0 is tentatively planned around Independence Day 2024 weekend and would focus on three circuits in Bihar-
Patna- Bhagalpur-Purnia
Patna- Gaya- Nalanda
Patna-Deoghar-Jamtara
These are no-agenda interactions aimed at experiences around use of digital technologies at the grassroots so everybody including founders looking for ideas, researchers looking for a fresh field perspective, brand managers looking for the fresh insights or Technolgy innovators figuring out the next use case are welcome to join.
This opportunity follows an awesome evening catching up with Jasminder Singh Gulati and Dr. Sandeep Sharma about #DigitalDesh 14.0- An immersive research experience. Digital Desh is a Research Platform by NowFloats aimed at deeply understanding the inside of the internet of India: Thanks Subir jha and team BuckSpeak Pvt Ltd for providing the platform for bringing all of us together.
Though Apple was behind in the race of AI, it has taken a leap with the introduction of AI, Apple Intelligence. The powerful AI features that navigates Siri by giving contextual answers and Genmojis, which could generate emojis based on instructions are truly exceptional. As mentioned, sales of Apple phones were down in last quarter and this move may help it to get better and also charge heavily because of its new AI features. Additionally, the partnership with OpenAI would be of great help to both the parties. For OpenAI, it would be an exposure to billions of people who use Apple, as only 23% of Americans use ChatGPT. Maybe more people will start to use ChatGPT because if Siri would not be able to answer any complex question, it can turn towards ChatGPT, of course only with the permission of the users. Through this, the privacy of the user would be intact.
Therefore, although Apple might be late but it has came up with features that would make the users want it even more. The partnership may also benefit them.