Apple's Siri voice assistant made its debut on the iPhone 4S in 2011. Reuters
Apple's Siri voice assistant made its debut on the iPhone 4S in 2011. Reuters
Apple's Siri voice assistant made its debut on the iPhone 4S in 2011. Reuters
Apple's Siri voice assistant made its debut on the iPhone 4S in 2011. Reuters

Apple 'working on Siri improvements' to catch up with ChatGPT


Alvin R Cabral
  • English
  • Arabic

Apple is working on improvements to its virtual assistant, Siri, amid a surge in growth of generative artificial intelligence technology such as ChatGPT, according to a media report.

Engineers at the iPhone-maker have made proposals to incorporate machine learning capabilities into Siri that are similar to those found in the highly-popular ChatGPT, The Information reported on Thursday.

It said there are plans to launch the improvements in 2024, although there is no guarantee Apple's management will approve the changes, “given the company’s highly cautious approach to developing Siri over the past 12 years”, the report said.

Siri is included in Apple's main product categories and responds to voice commands to help users do anything from searching the web to seeking directions, setting alarms and creating to-do lists.

The technology made its debut on the iPhone 4S in 2011. Since then, Siri has received regular updates to improve its performance, but the rise in popularity of generative AI may have prompted the California-based company to speed up its efforts.

Generative AI — made popular by the Microsoft-backed OpenAI's ChatGPT — can produce various kinds of data, including audio, code, images, text, simulations, 3D objects and videos.

While it takes cues from existing data, it is also capable of generating new and unexpected outputs, according to GenerativeAI.net.

Google's Bard, a rival to ChatGPT, made a factual error during a promotional video in February, days after it was launched, wiping out $100 billion in market value from parent company Alphabet.

In the same month, Microsoft's Bing chatbot caused alarm after becoming threatening — including speaking of desires to steal nuclear codes, create a deadly virus or to be alive.

Analysts and academics said it behaved that way because it was probably mimicking what it had learnt from online conversations.

Billions of dollars have been poured into generative AI, and Twitter chief executive Elon Musk said earlier this month that he planned to join the race. He is aiming to develop a “truth-seeking” generative AI platform to challenge ChatGPT and Bard, the billionaire said.

Apple, however, was dealt a setback when three engineers who helped to modernise its search technology left for Google in late 2022, The Information said.

The trio — Steven Baker, Anand Shukla and Srinivasan Venkatachary — would go on to work on the underlying technology of ChatGPT, it said, citing people familiar with the matter.

Siri's rise also prompted Apple rivals Samsung Electronics and Alphabet's Google to launch their own voice technologies, Bixby and Google Assistant, respectively.

In February, Seoul-based Samsung, the world's biggest manufacturer of mobile devices, announced updates to its Bixby voice assistant that “improve user experience, performance and capabilities” to “deliver significant improvements”.

In Apple's case, it may play catch-up to the head start built by Microsoft and Google in generative AI.

However, the company is also known for not necessarily being the first to introduce new innovations, but making a splash by building on and improving what is already out in the market.

Apple is also planning to expand its push into health and wellness with an AI-driven coaching service as well as new technology for tracking emotions, Bloomberg reported this week.

Code-named Quartz, it is aimed at motivating users to stay healthy, improve their eating habits and sleep better, it said.

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills

W.
Wael Kfoury
(Rotana)

The specs

Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six

Power: 650hp at 6,750rpm

Torque: 800Nm from 2,500-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto

Fuel consumption: 11.12L/100km

Price: From Dh796,600

On sale: now

Brief scores:

Manchester City 2

Gundogan 27', De Bruyne 85'

Crystal Palace 3

Schlupp 33', Townsend 35', Milivojevic 51' (pen)

Man of the Match: Andros Townsend (Crystal Palace)

Five famous companies founded by teens

There are numerous success stories of teen businesses that were created in college dorm rooms and other modest circumstances. Below are some of the most recognisable names in the industry:

  1. Facebook: Mark Zuckerberg and his friends started Facebook when he was a 19-year-old Harvard undergraduate. 
  2. Dell: When Michael Dell was an undergraduate student at Texas University in 1984, he started upgrading computers for profit. He starting working full-time on his business when he was 19. Eventually, his company became the Dell Computer Corporation and then Dell Inc. 
  3. Subway: Fred DeLuca opened the first Subway restaurant when he was 17. In 1965, Mr DeLuca needed extra money for college, so he decided to open his own business. Peter Buck, a family friend, lent him $1,000 and together, they opened Pete’s Super Submarines. A few years later, the company was rebranded and called Subway. 
  4. Mashable: In 2005, Pete Cashmore created Mashable in Scotland when he was a teenager. The site was then a technology blog. Over the next few decades, Mr Cashmore has turned Mashable into a global media company.
  5. Oculus VR: Palmer Luckey founded Oculus VR in June 2012, when he was 19. In August that year, Oculus launched its Kickstarter campaign and raised more than $1 million in three days. Facebook bought Oculus for $2 billion two years later.
The specs: 2018 Nissan Altima


Price, base / as tested: Dh78,000 / Dh97,650

Engine: 2.5-litre in-line four-cylinder

Power: 182hp @ 6,000rpm

Torque: 244Nm @ 4,000rpm

Transmission: Continuously variable tranmission

Fuel consumption, combined: 7.6L / 100km

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
BRAZIL%20SQUAD
%3Cp%3EGoalkeepers%3A%20Alisson%2C%20Ederson%2C%20Weverton%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3EDefenders%3A%20Dani%20Alves%2C%20Marquinhos%2C%20Thiago%20Silva%2C%20Eder%20Militao%20%2C%20Danilo%2C%20Alex%20Sandro%2C%20Alex%20Telles%2C%20Bremer.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3EMidfielders%3A%20Casemiro%2C%20Fred%2C%20Fabinho%2C%20Bruno%20Guimaraes%2C%20Lucas%20Paqueta%2C%20Everton%20Ribeiro.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3EForwards%3A%20Neymar%2C%20Vinicius%20Junior%2C%20Richarlison%2C%20Raphinha%2C%20Antony%2C%20Gabriel%20Jesus%2C%20Gabriel%20Martinelli%2C%20Pedro%2C%20Rodrygo%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
From Zero

Artist: Linkin Park

Label: Warner Records

Number of tracks: 11

Rating: 4/5

Sole survivors
  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
  • George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
  • Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
  • Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
U19 WORLD CUP, WEST INDIES

UAE group fixtures (all in St Kitts)

  • Saturday 15 January: UAE beat Canada by 49 runs 
  • Thursday 20 January: v England 
  • Saturday 22 January: v Bangladesh 

UAE squad:

Alishan Sharafu (captain), Shival Bawa, Jash Giyanani, Sailles
Jaishankar, Nilansh Keswani, Aayan Khan, Punya Mehra, Ali Naseer, Ronak Panoly,
Dhruv Parashar, Vinayak Raghavan, Soorya Sathish, Aryansh Sharma, Adithya
Shetty, Kai Smith  

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

Healthcare spending to double to $2.2 trillion rupees

Launched a 641billion-rupee federal health scheme

Allotted 200 billion rupees for the recapitalisation of state-run banks

Around 1.75 trillion rupees allotted for privatisation and stake sales in state-owned assets

GAC GS8 Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh149,900

The specs

Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel

Power: 579hp

Torque: 859Nm

Transmission: Single-speed automatic

Price: From Dh825,900

On sale: Now

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets

The Prison Letters of Nelson Mandela
Edited by Sahm Venter
Published by Liveright

Roll of honour 2019-2020

Dubai Rugby Sevens
Winners: Dubai Hurricanes
Runners up: Bahrain

West Asia Premiership
Winners: Bahrain
Runners up: UAE Premiership

UAE Premiership
}Winners: Dubai Exiles
Runners up: Dubai Hurricanes

UAE Division One
Winners: Abu Dhabi Saracens
Runners up: Dubai Hurricanes II

UAE Division Two
Winners: Barrelhouse
Runners up: RAK Rugby

RESULTS

6.30pm Handicap (TB) $68,000 (Dirt) 1,200m

Winner Canvassed, Par Dobbs (jockey), Doug Watson (trainer)

7.05pm Meydan Cup – Listed Handicap (TB) $88,000 (Turf) 2,810m

Winner Dubai Future, Frankie Dettori, Saeed bin Suroor

7.40pm UAE 2000 Guineas – Group 3 (TB) $125,000 (D) 1,600m

Winner Mouheeb, Ryan Curatolo, Nicholas Bachalard

8.15pm Firebreak Stakes – Group 3 (TB) $130,000 (D) 1,600m

Winner Secret Ambition, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar

9.50pm Meydan Classic – Conditions (TB) $$50,000 (T) 1,400m

Winner Topper Bill, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar

9.25pm Dubai Sprint – Listed Handicap (TB) $88,000 (T) 1,200m

Winner Man Of Promise, William Buick, Charlie Appleby

MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW

Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman

Director: Jesse Armstrong

Rating: 3.5/5

Updated: April 28, 2023, 7:15 AM`