Apple Making Big Hiring Push in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

[blackcrayon]

Siri is useless. The only thing I use it for is to set reminders. I am appalled that Apple has allowed Siri to lag behind the competition by this much.

"Siri is useless... Here's a use that I use it for"

I use it to play music. Along with Apple Music, in theory I should be able to ask my phone to play "any recorded song ever" and it will play- that's the future! (I know their catalog isn't that complete, but still).

 

[G4er?]

"Siri, Find me the closest bar."
"I'm sorry Dave, I can't do that. You've been drinking too much lately."

 

[Merkie]

I firmly believe that this is the best piece about Apple's push for privacy: Privacy vs. User Experience

TL;DR is Apple hasbuilt a straw man argument that seriously impacts their ability to deliver a good "assistant" feature.

All these "assistant" features are just minor gimmicks anyway.

 

[kingtj]

As the original article hints though, "better" might be a relative term - meaning "Invades your privacy in order to fake more intelligence when used"?

The problem with all of this A.I. work is that in the end, it's all artificial. The goal is to trick the user into believing the software is actually intelligent, when it's really just a massive database of information that it tries to selectively retrieve and play back based on parsing a sentence or phrase.

So at some point, making it appear smarter requires access to more of the information you care about personally. How much of that are you comfortable letting a third party index and store in the "cloud"?

I heard that the original creators of Siri are coming out with something called "Viv".. it's supposed to be way better than Siri. And there's $12 million invested in that.

 

[kingtj]

I know everyone loves to bash on people staring into their smartphones and tablets at social functions.... but let's face it. Visiting Grandma was never that much of a fun social experience, back when I was growing up. I remember those boring 2 hour long road trips to see grandma and grandpa. You'd finally arrive, only to enjoy maybe the first 10 minutes or so - because it was something different, and you were finally out of the car. Then you'd sit around, bored, while grandpa watched some golf game on TV and grandma went into the kitchen and talked to mom about "boring adult stuff".

I only wish I had a smart device to play with during some of that wasted time....

Since you mention 'grandpa', I thought I will post this picture....

View attachment 579729

 

[Crzyrio]

Sure. This statement is wrong: Does Apple make money off collecting data? No, so that means they likely don't sell it to others and just use it to provide better service.

Apple does monetize collected data. Read the privacy policy. Apple tells you they do. If you care to read it, the privacy policy of Apple and Google are posted in this thread.

Here are two major differences though

Google

We may share non-personally identifiable information publicly and with our partners – like publishers, advertisers or connected sites. For example, we may share information publicly to show trends about the general use of our services.

Apple

At times Apple may make certain personal information available to strategic partners that work with Apple to provide products and services, or that help Apple market to customers. For example, when you purchase and activate your iPhone, you authorize Apple and your carrier to exchange the information you provide during the activation process to carry out service. If you are approved for service, your account will be governed by Apple and your carrier’s respective privacy policies. Personal information will only be shared by Apple to provide or improve our products, services and advertising; it will not be shared with third parties for their marketing purposes.

Now we may not know exactly who data is shared with, but think of the kinds of crowd each company works with and who actually get the data in the end with each company?

 

[nouveau-apple]

So at some point, making it appear smarter requires access to more of the information you care about personally. How much of that are you comfortable letting a third party index and store in the "cloud"?

All of it if it was impressive enough.

Everyone wants an AI just like Samantha in the movie HER.

 

[WestonHarvey1]

I'm sick of this whole 'privacy' push. I want Siri to be able to access all my stuff, how else is it meant to be useful. Who cares if a computer goes through your data. It should at least be an opt in feature.

Then just use Google products. They are sick of the whole privacy push too, and will give you exactly what you want.

 

[Chase R]

sweet

 

[69Mustang]

Here are two major differences though

Google


Apple


Now we may not know exactly who data is shared with, but think of the kinds of crowd each company works with and who actually get the data in the end with each company?

What does any of that have to do with your contention that Apple doesn't monetize data?

Differences? What exactly do you see that's different between the two things you posted? They say the same essential thing.

 

[Sloppy.Joe]

I'd be happy with just normal intelegence.

 

[Rafterman]

Based on what is going on in the world these days, I hope the artificial intelligence is better than the current biological intelligence.

 

[subsonix]

People who have to rely on things like "common knowledge" to make an argument don't have one.

I'm not referring to "common knowledge", but common knowledge, it's common since it's a well known public statement by Google. I let you do the googling..

 

[tlevier]

Can I just say, that as Apple constructs their new campus, that they wire it with explosives so that when SkyNet does go online and is born in their facility, they are pro-actively prepared to just wipe it out rather than humans having to retreat first and mount an offensive later? (Does this not seem like a reasonable thought and request?)

 

[JAT]

I know everyone loves to bash on people staring into their smartphones and tablets at social functions.... but let's face it. Visiting Grandma was never that much of a fun social experience, back when I was growing up. I remember those boring 2 hour long road trips to see grandma and grandpa. You'd finally arrive, only to enjoy maybe the first 10 minutes or so - because it was something different, and you were finally out of the car. Then you'd sit around, bored, while grandpa watched some golf game on TV and grandma went into the kitchen and talked to mom about "boring adult stuff".

I only wish I had a smart device to play with during some of that wasted time....

Bummer for you. My grandpa taught me how to play pool. And other things. Loved going over there.

 

[JAT]

Can I just say, that as Apple constructs their new campus, that they wire it with explosives so that when SkyNet does go online and is born in their facility, they are pro-actively prepared to just wipe it out rather than humans having to retreat first and mount an offensive later? (Does this not seem like a reasonable thought and request?)

As if that wouldn't be controlled by electronics. First thing Skynet will take over.

 

[Solomani]

I thought that is what they were already focusing on before this "Hey Siri" event.

Not really. I doubt Apple really had any sort of AI team in place even before Siri. And with Siri acquisition, all they did was bought out the software technology, but many of the original Siri developers left. With this current rumor, Apple seems to be hiring/gathering a bunch of real AI technologists as in-house scientists…. perhaps acquiring AI experts was something that Apple should have done 3-4 years ago (as they easily had the money then) in order to get a solid jump start.

 

[Solomani]

Can I just say, that as Apple constructs their new campus, that they wire it with explosives so that when SkyNet does go online and is born in their facility, they are pro-actively prepared to just wipe it out rather than humans having to retreat first and mount an offensive later? (Does this not seem like a reasonable thought and request?)

If SkyNet does form… it will likely start from the Samsung HQ, not from the Apple Campus. Samsung is already way ahead of its rivals, as it already has years of development on military robots (for the South Korean armed forces), and yes they've already dabbled in sex robots too. Samsung is weird like that.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samsung_SGR-A1
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/rok/sgr-a1.htm

 

[0098386]

<snip>

Agree on Siri being useful for little commands like reminders, alarms. "countdown one hour" is useful if you're putting a drink in the freezer
A few months ago in London, I asked Siri for walking directions to the nearest "HMV". And, somehow, it messed up and first of all tried to take me to their corporate headquarters, then it tried to take me to one near where I lived rather than where I currently was. It's not that good really.

 

[0098386]

If SkyNet does form… it will likely start from the Samsung HQ, not from the Apple Campus. Samsung is already way ahead of its rivals, as it already has years of development on military robots (for the South Korean armed forces), and yes they've already dabbled in sex robots too. Samsung is weird like that.

What's weird about either those things?