It surfaced yesterday that Apple has banned the use of AI tools like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, however, that doesn’t mean the company isn’t working diligently on its own generative AI plans. In the first three weeks of May alone, Apple has added 28 new AI-focused jobs as it looks for senior engineers, research scientists, special project managers, and more. Looking at the big picture, the company says it expects generative AI to “transform Apple’s mobile computing platforms.”
Spotted by TechCrunch, Apple has really ramped up the open roles in AI over the last few weeks. While Apple is always hiring and will perpetually have some number of open jobs in AI with the size of the company – adding 28 new AI openings in the last 19 days with a number of them specifically mentioning “generative AI” is notable.
Overall, there are currently 88 open jobs at Apple with “AI” in the title. More than 1/3 of them are new this month and 48 of them (more than 1/2) are new as of March 2023. Apple is not sitting on the sidelines when it comes to AI.
While CEO Tim Cook of course hasn’t shared any specifics about what Apple is working on around next-gen AI, he recently said generative artificial intelligence “is certainly very interesting.” He continued on by saying that when it comes to tech like ChatGPT, there are “a number of issues that need to be sorted, as is being talked about in a number of different places.”
But he ended the statement with enthusiasm around the field, saying Apple sees AI as “huge” and will continue to invest in related technologies for its products.
9to5Mac recently learned that Apple is testing new natural language-generating features for Siri and the latest job listings include roles that line up with that work.
The variety, number, and recency of these new AI job listings not only confirm Apple’s work on natural language AI features but also generative AI that could be applied across its platforms and services in many ways.
Most of the new AI jobs are for roles in Cupertino, but some are based in San Diego, Austin, Seattle, and elsewhere.
How important does Apple see generative AI for iPhone and iPad?
Cook wasn’t exaggerating about seeing generative AI as “huge,” one of the new job descriptions says Apple expects generative AI to “transform” iPhone and iPad.
I found that statement in the “Visual Generative Modeling Research Engineer” job description where Apple pitches the role as joining “a group that will shape the way generative ai technologies transform Apple’s mobile computing platforms.”
Are you excited about Generative AI? Are you excited about how latest advances in this field could transform the way people communicate, create, connect and consume media? Now imagine working to make this vision a reality on beloved mobile platforms used by billions. This is an opportunity to join a dedicated core group in the Intelligent System Experience organization at Apple, a group that will shape the way generative ai technologies transform Apple’s mobile computing platforms.
More new AI/ML jobs Apple has just posted include:
- AI NLP Product Engineering Manager, WW CSO
- AI NLP Content Product Engineer, WW CSO
- Proactive Intelligence, Applied Research Scientist – Generative AI
- Machine Learning Engineer – Generative AI
- AIML – Sr Software Engineer, Siri and Information Intelligence
- Generative AI Applied Researcher – SIML, ISE
- Project Manager, AppleCare Support Experience Special Projects
As for why Apple has banned at least some employees from using ChatGPT and other similar AI tools, security and privacy are the top reasons. Apple doesn’t want any proprietary information to be compromised by third-party tools.
In related news, OpenAI just launched ChatGPT for iPhone yesterday:
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