The latest rental of Apple could help improve its image of artificial intelligence

The next time you think of Apple and artificial intelligence, it could be that your frustration is not so frustrating.

Last month, the tech giant had dispatched Ian Goodfellow, a top scientist in the world of artificial intelligence, published by Google. CNBC noticed the move when Goodfellow, who helped invent a new approach to technology, updated his LinkedIn page to indicate that he was working as "Director of Machine Learning". Apple in his secret group "Special Projects".

Goodfellow is not the only big company brand recruited by Apple in Google. Last year, the company attracted John Giannandrea far from his rival, where he had been the head of research. At Apple, Giannandrea manages Siri, as well as its machine learning technology for application developers.

"Machine learning and artificial intelligence are important for Apple's future because they fundamentally alter the way people interact with technology and already help our customers live better" , said Apple CEO Tim Cook, during the promotion of Giannandrea to the position of senior vice president. of machine learning and artificial intelligence strategy.

Apple has not responded to a request for comment regarding Goodfellow.

The hires are the latest signs that Apple is increasingly insisting on the world of AI, where it is not widely regarded as a leader in the way of Google and Facebook. Artificial intelligence is increasingly seen as the key to a new computer method that will allow machines to identify people in video streams, drive our cars and anticipate our calendars.

Apple's Siri was one of the first voice assistants offered to the public when it was released in 2011. But he struggles to cope with a growing list of competitors.

Alexa of Amazon, for example, has stood out as an easy way to connect to smart devices, such as light switches, security systems and even your car. Meanwhile, Google has made waves to turn his assistant into a live language translator. Its Duplex feature helps people schedule appointments by calling businesses and negotiating appointment times for you. The artificial intelligence of Facebook is used to identify faster extremism and bad behavior. And Microsoft built its AI in an application to help the blind By describing just about anything, the camera of a phone is pointed.

Apple "considers Siri as a feature rather than a platform," said an analyst at Creative Strategies Carolina Milanesi.

An example, she said, is that Apple's Siri works best on its iPhone because it has access to applications and information that it keeps. But Siri is not as good as Apple's $ 299 HomePod speaker, because the company has not created robust ways for its assistant to send information between his phone and other Siri-powered devices. .

The latest recruitments and announcements from Apple suggest that the company is now taking artificial intelligence technologies such as Siri more seriously, she added. "There is no doubt in my mind that Apple is rethinking Siri or speeding up its efforts," she said.

More intelligence

When people think of Apple AI, they usually think of Siri. But there are other ongoing AI efforts.

For example, the company's A12 Bionic chip, which powers the $ 999 iPhone XS and the latest $ 799 iPad Pro, includes a "neural engine". Apple says that the engine enhances the photos you take and the games you play. It also allows the camera to do a better job with augmented reality, which superimposes computer images in the manner of a photo filter on the real world.

These technologies also apply to the Apple iPhone software. Apple said that artificial intelligence technologies could power its face identifier, which identifies you with the help of a sensor in order to unlock it. your phone.

Churning out Silicon Valley

The high-level recruitments from Apple are not done in a vacuum. Apple, Facebook, Google, Twitter, Microsoft, Amazon and the many startups that dot the San Francisco Bay Area and the largest West Coast are constantly running in circles.

It is likely that the fact that Google, in particular, has been criticized for its AI efforts has helped Apple. Last year, employees of the search giant protested against Google's participation in Project Maven, a Pentagon initiative to use AI to improve drone image analysis. And last month, General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that Google's work on AI in China was "indirectly benefiting the Chinese army."

Analysts explain that well-known poachers, like those of Apple with Giannandrea and Goodfellow, also help the company recruit more, as big names often act as a magnet attracting their colleagues from a company to the company. 39; another.

Apple can also step up its efforts by making acquisitions. For example, Apple would have bought an AI-powered voice startup called PullString in February. Such purchases generally accompany new intellectual property (IP), in the form of new applications, codes and patents. Cook said last month that Apple had bought 18 companies in 2018.

"We are constantly on the market in search of excellent intellectual property and fantastic people," Cook said at the time. "We are very confident for our future."

Richard Nieva of CNET contributed to this report.