What Google Gemini AI on the iPhone Could Look Like
Phones
Speaker 1: Has the iPhone become so boring that Apple needs help from Google to make it interesting? Again, if you're having a hard time wrapping your head around that one, buckle up because Apple and Google are negotiating a deal that could put Google's artificial intelligence model into future iPhones. Bloomberg was first to report this, and since then the New York Times and Wall Street Journal also reported the same with their anonymous sources. Phone makers are quickly jumping into generative ai, but the hot race is a hot mess. [00:00:30] Google just had to publicly apologize for embarrassing results on its generative ai and Google even had to pause a problematic feature. We are at a point in time where the software on a phone is more interesting than the hardware. So Google's generative AI model known as Gemini is one more thing Apple may tout to get folks wanting to buy the next iPhone, but why would Apple even want Google's Gemini on the iPhone when it can be problematic?
Speaker 1: Let's go over how Google's Gemini might [00:01:00] be used on the iPhone. I'm Bridget Carey, and this is one more thing. When iOS 18 arrives later this year, it could be a bigger deal than the iPhone itself. Apple is expected to incorporate generative AI into the next iPhone operating system, and according to Bloomberg's reporting, the iPhone 16 hardware will not have any major advances. So the software could be more critical than usual. The software is what's going to sell the next iPhone. We will know more about iOS 18 and maybe [00:01:30] some of Apple's AI plans in June at WDC. That's Apple's Annual Developer's Conference. And Apple CEO Tim Cook said this year we will hear more about Apple's AI work. And during a shareholder meeting, he said Apple would break new ground in ai. We know Apple has advanced processors that can utilize generative ai, but Apple is not as talkative about its AI software to be specific. Apple has not come out with its own version of a generative AI chatbot where [00:02:00] users could type in a prompt to generate text or an image or have the AI offer a solution to a request that leaves tech pundits saying that Apple is behind in the AI race. But as we learned in A-C-N-B-C interview, apple execs don't see it that way.
Speaker 2: Critics have been surprised that Apple appears to be falling behind when it comes to ai. How do you respond?
Speaker 3: I don't believe we are not too worried. Too worried.
Speaker 1: This week, apple acquired the Canadian startup, [00:02:30] Darwin ai and Darwin's expertise is AI that runs on the device itself rather than depending on servers in the cloud, which is better for privacy. And just a few days before that without much fanfare, apple published a research paper detailing the development of a new generative AI model. It calls one, it can create text and images wired reported. The researchers show it, answering questions about photos and displaying the kind of general knowledge skills shown by [00:03:00] chatbots like chat GPT. So Apple is cooking up something that's in this realm, but if it needs more time to bake, then to speed things along for this year's iPhone, apple could partner with another company. Apple reportedly has been talking to more than just Google with Gemini, but also companies like OpenAI, which makes chat. GBT. Certainly every Apple competitor has been stuffing itself with generative AI tools.
Speaker 1: Microsoft is working with OpenAI and Windows 11 laptops [00:03:30] and PCs will have a dedicated key to launch its AI tool called copilot. Samsung has its own generative AI model, and right now Google Gemini is inside the Galaxy S 24. It is being used across multiple applications on the S 24. You can use the voice recorder to record your teacher's lecture and then ask the AI to summarize the most important points of the lesson. Edit a photo inside the photo gallery. It can bring up the option for generative editing where you can move people around or [00:04:00] remove an object and it just fills in the gaps. So here we see that it's not exactly like there's some big Google Gemini app in the phone, rather elements of AI assistance or kind of woven into certain existing products. This could be one way we see Gemini implemented on the iPhone, and by that I mean it's not even something you know is being done by Google, rather, it could be happening in a limited way hidden in the background of an existing app.
Speaker 1: However, [00:04:30] if Apple is working with AI partners, this kind of tech needs to be so very protected for user privacy. I would be uncomfortable if Apple just let Gemini run wild on my iPhone. Apple prides itself on having user information stay private protected on the device. I wouldn't want some Google server and a cloud peering into my chats as it translates text or whatever editing I'm doing. So if Apple is working with Google's Gemini, it's got to be done in a way that it's limited in what it is sharing, [00:05:00] and Apple should put limits on just how much it can generate. I would not expect some sort of tool or you could just ask the iPhone to make up images of cats or write entire documents because there's a big risk of what it can spit out as being wrong. There has been a lot of criticism on Gemini recently.
Speaker 1: As it gives inaccurate results, the company had to apologize and put a pause on image generation of people because it was mixing up the races of historical figures and sometimes just refusing to generate images of white [00:05:30] people. Of course, Google said it would try to fix this, but Google also said in a statement that a can't promise Gemini won't occasionally generate embarrassing, inaccurate or offensive results. And that's the issue now with generative ai, because you cannot think of it like a Google search engine. It is an answer box that gives one answer. A Google search result has pages of links. You can poke through it with your human brain to assess what is quality, but a system like Gemini will hand you one solution [00:06:00] and it could be wrong. Apple won't want to be caught in that kind of controversy. There is another way Apple could handle this.
Speaker 1: Apple could treat Gemini like a standalone app, much like when the iPhone launched with Google Maps. Then you can't get upset if Gemini is wrong. It's not the iPhone, it's that one app that got it wrong. It could be just like how Google search is the default search engine on Safari. And don't forget Apple and Google partnered for that deal. Google reportedly pays Apple more than $18 billion [00:06:30] a year to have Google search as the default option on iPhones. Google certainly would love Gemini to be on the iPhone. There are 2 billion Apple devices currently in use when you add up all the hardware. Putting Gemini on Apple devices could make Gemini the most used AI and help it win the AI race that is until Apple's ready to unleash whatever tool it is working on. But who wants to wait until the fall to try new iPhone tricks?
Speaker 1: It's time for a new segment I call. One more. One more thing. [00:07:00] If you updated your iPhone to Iowa 17.4, have you even tried all the new features? There are over 100 new emoji, but I have not seen anyone send me a lime or a fiery Phoenix, but actually I've also not used in the emoji myself. How am I supposed to use the shaking heads? If you use Apple Podcasts, you will find that there are now transcripts of the episodes that you can read through that is handy for just skimming the topics. Or you can even search inside the transcript. So if there's that thing you remember someone mentioned [00:07:30] on a podcast episode, what was it called again? You can search for what you do remember and skip ahead to that part to find it. Another handy thing to test out are virtual credit card numbers that you can use with your Apple cash.
Speaker 1: So let's say you have some Apple cash in your wallet, but you're at a place that doesn't take Apple Pay. The system makes a card number, an expiration date, and a three digit security code, just like a physical card. And when you check out somewhere, you could just plug in the card number yourself. How are you feeling about Google Gemini Possibly being inside [00:08:00] a future iPhone? That is if a deal is actually made, I have a feeling Apple will surprise us on this one and we may have to wait until the iPhone is announced in September to finally know for sure. Thanks for watching. I'll catch you next time with one more thing to discuss In the world of Apple.
