An Honest Look at MKBHD's Look At Apple Intelligence

Key Concepts:

• Apple Intelligence: Apple's new on-device AI system.
• Apple Silicon: Apple's line of chips, known for efficiency.
• Ollama: A tool for running AI models on local hardware.
• End-user features: The visible, consumer-facing aspects of Apple Intelligence.
• Developer platform: The underlying tools and APIs that allow developers to build AI applications.
• Primitives: Basic building blocks or functionalities provided by Apple for AI development.
• Price/performance ratio: The balance between the cost of hardware and its performance capabilities.

Critique of MKBHD's Review and Initial Impressions of Apple Intelligence

The video argues that while MKBHD's review of Apple Intelligence accurately reflects the underwhelming nature of its initial end-user features (weak writing tools, goofy image playground, unhelpful notification summaries, and a "so what" ChatGPT integration), it misses the bigger picture. The speaker contends that Apple Intelligence is a potentially transformative release, not because of its immediate features, but because of its underlying platform and the possibilities it unlocks for developers.

Apple's Strategy: Platform over Perfect End-User Apps

The core argument is that Apple intentionally holds back its own end-user applications to create opportunities for third-party developers. Examples cited include Pages, Mail, Notes, Voice Memos, and Photos, which offer basic functionality but leave room for developers to build more advanced solutions. This strategy allows Apple to "Sherlock" basic features while fostering a thriving ecosystem of third-party apps that enhance the platform's overall value. Apple's focus is on providing the best platform, not necessarily the best individual apps. This echoes Apple's early days as a platform for creatives, driven by fundamental technologies like font rendering and display quality.

Apple Silicon's Advantage in AI

Apple Silicon is presented as a key differentiator. It offers superior efficiency and price/performance compared to other platforms for AI applications. While Nvidia previously held a performance lead with cards like the 4090 and A100, Apple's M4 Max has nearly caught up, and the M4 Ultra is yet to be seen. Crucially, Apple Silicon achieves this performance with significantly lower power consumption than AMD and Nvidia GPUs. This power efficiency is increasingly important as the world demands more energy for computing.

The Importance of On-Device AI

The video emphasizes the significance of on-device AI, contrasting it with cloud-based services like Gemini. On-device AI offers privacy and security benefits, as data is processed locally rather than being sent to external servers. It also enables functionality without an internet connection. While previous attempts at on-device AI have been power-hungry, Apple Silicon's efficiency makes it a viable option.

Apple's Missed Opportunity: Highlighting End-User Features

The speaker believes Apple made a mistake by focusing on the end-user features of Apple Intelligence in its initial presentation. This led to the perception that Apple Intelligence is limited to those features, overlooking the potential of the underlying platform. The speaker also suggests that calling it "Apple Intelligence" was a misstep, as it overloads the acronym for artificial intelligence.

The Developer Experience and Future Potential

Despite the downplayed developer experience at WWDC, the video notes that Apple is actively working on providing tools and documentation for developers. While more primitives need to be made available, the progress so far is encouraging. The speaker expresses excitement about the potential for AI-powered features to enhance writing, images, videos, and overall productivity, emphasizing that these features will augment human capabilities rather than replace them.

Conclusion:

Apple Intelligence is more than just the initial set of end-user features. It represents a strategic move towards empowering developers to build innovative AI applications on the Apple Silicon platform. The focus on on-device processing, combined with Apple Silicon's efficiency, positions Apple as a leader in the future of AI. The key takeaway is to look beyond the surface-level features and recognize the potential of the underlying platform.