After Apple announced plans to integrate generative artificial intelligence into its software and devices like the iPhone, one of the company’s original founders, Steve Wozniak, spoke for many observers when he told Bloomberg: “I have my own AI – actual intelligence.” He cautioned that the success of any such technology should be judged by the humans experiencing it rather than its marketed capabilities.
These comments from Mr Wozniak, who is no longer with the company he started with the late Steve Jobs, came amid a predictably mixed reaction following the launch of Apple Intelligence at the Worldwide Developers Conference in Cupertino, California this week. In particular, to the news that Apple will work with OpenAI to integrate its generative AI technology, ChatGPT, into virtual assistant Siri later this year.
Elon Musk, for example, came out swinging. “If Apple integrates OpenAI at the OS level, then Apple devices will be banned at my companies. That is an unacceptable security violation,” Mr Musk said on his social media platform X. The Tesla chief executive said that visitors “will have to check their Apple devices at the door, where they will be stored in a Faraday cage”.
“Apple has no clue what’s actually going on once they hand your data over to OpenAI. They’re selling you down the river,” he wrote on X.
In terms of game-changing tech, we are in Apple Watch territory with Apple Intelligence rather than the iPod or iPhone
Mr Musk has a turbulent and well-documented history with OpenAI and its chief executive, Sam Altman, and having once backed the company, he has now started his own AI startup to compete. However, while it is useful politically to cry about security to hamstring rivals, security is indeed a major concern when it comes to the use of AI. TikTok is under attack on security grounds.
Blackberry and its maker, Rim, were brought low by similar accusations.
Ultimately, once a technology company has been called out as a security risk, it is a very difficult label to overcome. This is partly because most people assume that there is no smoke without fire. So, no one on the political spectrum wants to be publicly associated with the issue and the list of potential allies thins out quickly. Sometimes, though, a smokescreen is just that.
When it comes to AI, privacy might be the more apt consideration than security. Here, Apple’s track record is a little contradictory. It has, on the one hand, used its smartphone dominance to hold third parties at arm’s length, while at the same time convincing us that handing over all our data to Apple is totally up to us. During the same period, it has built up its own advertising strength as a result.
To an extent, Apple Intelligence expands its influence by also creating a narrative of user empowerment around AI.
The idea is that the AI on your iPhone or laptop will use your own personal data, accessed from your devices to try to make your life easier, and do everyday tasks for you through what is called personal cloud technology, powered by the chip and hardware in your hands.
In addition, you will have the choice to access ChatGPT directly through Apple’s software. Right now, if you use any of the models on the market, such as ChatGPT or Google’s Gemini, they access the large trove of global information available on their cloud network infrastructure, and your requests and prompts go there too.
Part of the promise is that Apple Intelligence will be far quicker and much more personalised as a result of its closer proximity. Mr Wozniak said he was impressed with the demos on show at the conference, but he added that the real test will come when users are able to try it out themselves in more mundane circumstances.
Taking a step back, however, no matter how good it proves to be, this is not a ground-breaking moment for AI technology or society at large.
First, the AI-powered features that will be on offer on Apple devices, from call transcription to email summaries to an upgraded Siri, are already out there. Using AI now, at its current capabilities, is actually really helpful but in limited situations. It is only a matter of time before we find it irreplaceable in our lives – like our phones have become – but we are some way away from that happening.
The idea of having Apple Intelligence on your phone sounds like having the equivalent of a young intern in the office, desperate to impress by offering to do things for you, that you know in the end will only make more work for you, but you feel bad if you don’t let them do it.
That’s a harsh judgment, no doubt, and I have nothing against interns in general. But in terms of game-changing tech, we are in Apple Watch territory with Apple Intelligence rather than the iPod or iPhone.
The launch also tells us more about the maturity of the smart mobile device market than anything else, with the pace of the growth of sales slowing since the Covid-19 pandemic. The push to integrate AI into mobile devices by their makers is as much about creating fresh momentum for revenue as anything else.
The%20specs%20
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Jawan
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AT%20A%20GLANCE
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INDIA SQUADS
India squad for third Test against Sri Lanka
Virat Kohli (capt), Murali Vijay, Lokesh Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Wriddhiman Saha, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Vijay Shankar
India squad for ODI series against Sri Lanka
Rohit Sharma (capt), Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadhav, Dinesh Karthik, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Siddarth Kaul
FFP EXPLAINED
What is Financial Fair Play?
Introduced in 2011 by Uefa, European football’s governing body, it demands that clubs live within their means. Chiefly, spend within their income and not make substantial losses.
What the rules dictate?
The second phase of its implementation limits losses to €30 million (Dh136m) over three seasons. Extra expenditure is permitted for investment in sustainable areas (youth academies, stadium development, etc). Money provided by owners is not viewed as income. Revenue from “related parties” to those owners is assessed by Uefa's “financial control body” to be sure it is a fair value, or in line with market prices.
What are the penalties?
There are a number of punishments, including fines, a loss of prize money or having to reduce squad size for European competition – as happened to PSG in 2014. There is even the threat of a competition ban, which could in theory lead to PSG’s suspension from the Uefa Champions League.
The specs: 2018 Nissan Patrol Nismo
Price: base / as tested: Dh382,000
Engine: 5.6-litre V8
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 428hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 560Nm @ 3,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km
What is dialysis?
Dialysis is a way of cleaning your blood when your kidneys fail and can no longer do the job.
It gets rid of your body's wastes, extra salt and water, and helps to control your blood pressure. The main cause of kidney failure is diabetes and hypertension.
There are two kinds of dialysis — haemodialysis and peritoneal.
In haemodialysis, blood is pumped out of your body to an artificial kidney machine that filter your blood and returns it to your body by tubes.
In peritoneal dialysis, the inside lining of your own belly acts as a natural filter. Wastes are taken out by means of a cleansing fluid which is washed in and out of your belly in cycles.
It isn’t an option for everyone but if eligible, can be done at home by the patient or caregiver. This, as opposed to home haemodialysis, is covered by insurance in the UAE.
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
Globalization and its Discontents Revisited
Joseph E. Stiglitz
W. W. Norton & Company
The bio
Job: Coder, website designer and chief executive, Trinet solutions
School: Year 8 pupil at Elite English School in Abu Hail, Deira
Role Models: Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk
Dream City: San Francisco
Hometown: Dubai
City of birth: Thiruvilla, Kerala
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich 1
Kimmich (27')
Real Madrid 2
Marcelo (43'), Asensio (56')
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
Essentials
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct from the UAE to Delhi from about Dh950 return including taxes.
The hotels
Double rooms at Tijara Fort-Palace cost from 6,670 rupees (Dh377), including breakfast.
Doubles at Fort Bishangarh cost from 29,030 rupees (Dh1,641), including breakfast. Doubles at Narendra Bhawan cost from 15,360 rupees (Dh869). Doubles at Chanoud Garh cost from 19,840 rupees (Dh1,122), full board. Doubles at Fort Begu cost from 10,000 rupees (Dh565), including breakfast.
The tours
Amar Grover travelled with Wild Frontiers. A tailor-made, nine-day itinerary via New Delhi, with one night in Tijara and two nights in each of the remaining properties, including car/driver, costs from £1,445 (Dh6,968) per person.
Engine: 80 kWh four-wheel-drive
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 402bhp
Torque: 760Nm
Price: From Dh280,000
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
The biog
Year of birth: 1988
Place of birth: Baghdad
Education: PhD student and co-researcher at Greifswald University, Germany
Hobbies: Ping Pong, swimming, reading
Joker: Folie a Deux
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson
Director: Todd Phillips
Rating: 2/5
The Saga Continues
Wu-Tang Clan
(36 Chambers / Entertainment One)
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Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
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