Apple is set to introduce a range of artificial intelligence features this year, deploying its own chips inside cloud data centres to handle complex AI tasks, according to sources familiar with the company’s plans, reports Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman.
These high-end chips, which are used in Apple’s high-end Macs, will power the most advanced AI functions, while simpler AI tasks will be processed on iPhones, iPads, and Macs. Sources say the project is named ACDC, or Apple Chips in Data Centers (rocking name, don’t you think?).
This strategic move is part of Apple’s broader push into generative AI, positioning the company to compete with major tech firms. Sources noted that Apple had initially come up with this plan three years ago but accelerated its efforts following the surge in AI popularity driven by tech rivals like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini.
Apple’s shift from on-device processing to using cloud-based servers is set to improve AI capabilities without compromising user privacy and security. The company plans to utilize its data centres to start, but will eventually incorporate third-party facilities, like what iCloud services are running on.
The first server chips, M2 Ultra, debuted last year in the Mac Pro and Mac Studio. Future versions will be based on the M4 chip found in the newest iPad Pro, says Gurman.
Apple is not planning its own ChatGPT-like service but is exploring partnerships to integrate the tech instead.
