Apple and Amazon Double Down on AI: Siri's New LLM and a $40B Anthropic Investment
1min read Apple is developing a more advanced version of its digital assistant Siri, internally referred to as "LLM Siri," to better compete with conversational AI models like ChatGPT. This new iteration of Siri aims to engage in sustained dialogues, offering users more fluid and personalized interactions. By integrating advanced large language models, Apple's Siri will handle more complex tasks that are currently managed through OpenAI's ChatGPT in the iOS 18.2 version. Apple's ongoing enhancements, including cross-application functionality via Apple Intelligence in iOS 18, lay the foundation for this evolution. Testing is underway on various Apple devices, with a full rollout planned post-2025, potentially aligning with the iOS 19 announcement at the Worldwide Developers Conference.
Meanwhile, Amazon has reiterated its strategic focus on AI by investing $40 billion in AI startup Anthropic, further solidifying its competitive stance against Microsoft's partnership with OpenAI. This latest funding, which is part of a long-term investment, aims to integrate Anthropic's advanced language models into Amazon Web Services (AWS), driving up AWS's market share in cloud computing. AWS already leads with a 39% share in the public cloud infrastructure market. By bolstering infrastructure with Anthropic's Claude series models, Amazon is positioning itself to attract enterprise clients interested in generative AI technologies and drive cross-selling of foundational cloud services.
In the competitive realm of AI hardware, Microsoft-backed OpenAI, led by CEO Sam Altman, is raising $150 million for the semiconductor startup Rain AI. This bid aims to challenge NVIDIA's dominance in AI hardware markets by developing energy-efficient, high-performance chips. With Altman's strategic involvement and Rain AI's recent recruitment of former Apple executive Jean-Didier Allegrucci to lead hardware engineering, the startup is poised to make significant inroads, potentially capturing a substantial market share previously dominated by NVIDIA. This development signals a vibrant competition landscape, suggesting a broader shift within the AI chip industry that extends beyond established giants like NVIDIA.
NVIDIA continues to assert its influence with robust financial performances, driven by the sale of AI chips. Its data center division, a significant revenue driver, reached a record $30.8 billion this quarter, underscored by strong demand from tech behemoths such as Microsoft and Google, although growth is moderating from previous quarters. As NVIDIA navigates market dynamics, including geopolitical constraints like China, its success hinges on adapting to ongoing demand for AI capabilities. It's also investing heavily in its next-gen Blackwell chips to maintain momentum, despite the potential pressures on profit margins. These developments highlight NVIDIA's crucial role in shaping the AI computing future, setting the stage for future innovations and competitive strategies in the tech sector.
