Feature
On-device AI is coming to many of the products we use every day, but there’s little that we, as consumers, know about it … yet.
The idea behind on-device AI is simple: Embed more computing power into a device so it can process queries locally, without having to connect to the cloud. Not only does that save time, it also improves security by removing the risk factors that go along with online connections.
By that definition alone, the concept is sure to become popular with end users because it provides actual, noticeable advantages. So while we may not be aware of a device’s enhanced safety features, it’s easy to appreciate the quicker response times we’ll get from our apps.
Employers, on the other hand, may care less about enhanced usability, but anything that materially improves security is sure to make CIOs, CTOs and CISOs happy. But is it enough?
The End of Cloud?
Technology and software developers of all stripes are moving forward with plans for on-device AI, although actual products haven’t yet made it into the real world. According to Digiday, some products will premiere this summer along with Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon chip.
Samsung is among the companies adding the technology to its devices, starting with the new Galaxy S24 smartphone. According to the company, the integration of AI will provide users with more personalized and customized computing.
More specifically, this means that in real time, users will be able to chat in different languages and compose messages in the desired tone of voice, even without cellular or wireless service. When driving, users will be able to hear message summaries and dispatch relevant, machine-generated responses. On-device AI can also simplify note-taking and transcription.
“Moving AI capabilities closer to end-point devices will bring greater security, lower latency and lower costs for AI companies,” GlobalData analyst Emma Christy told the Verdict.
Such capabilities add significant momentum to the idea of computing in the flow of work, which has become an important component of HR technology solutions. The ability to learn in the moment, to answer questions as they arise, to submit information or requests without switching applications are all among the capabilities employers increasingly seek in the name of efficiency and experience.
Still, none of this means the cloud is going away anytime soon.
As it was unveiling the latest Galaxies, Samsung announced a new partnership to bring Google Cloud’s generative AI to Samsung smartphones. That will make the company the first Google Cloud partner to deploy Gemini Pro and Imagen 2 on Vertex AI to consumer devices. More similar partnerships supporting cloud and AI are likely to ensue, as the technology comes to market.
Related Article: AI-Assistants Can Give Us All Superpowers
The Apple Card
Apple has been relatively quiet about on-device AI — and AI in general — but that doesn’t mean it isn’t incorporating AI into its products. Some reports indicate that AI capabilities will be included in the next generation of iPhone.
Apple’s “LLM in a flash” research focuses on running large language models on devices with limited memory. According to ZDNet, that would allow AI applications to run on iPhones or iPads, or incorporate an improved Siri that can assist users with their work, generate text and offer improved natural language processing.
Advanced technology isn’t new to Apple. Machine learning has been an important component of its device capabilities for some time. However, those capabilities have, for the most part, been implemented in the background to help improve the user experience. For example, it’s machine learning that allows Apple devices to identify and tag what or who is included in photographs.
But that’s not enough for the tech world.
“In 2024, that sort of invisible AI doesn’t cut it,” wrote The Register’s datacenter systems editor. “Apple’s rivals are touting generative AI as an essential capability for every device and application.”
Related Article: Apple Vision Pro Is Here. Don't Expect It in Your Workplace Any Time Soon
More Talk Than Action ... for Now
So, what’s the takeaway from all this? Since the emergence of generative AI in the fall of 2022, vendors have scrambled to emphasize their use of AI in everything they do, from job descriptions to learning to even time clocks.
That doesn’t mean that dozens of developers just happened to launch AI solutions all around the same time, but it does indicate ChatGPT’s popularity spurred marketing departments to one way or another embed AI into their pitch. Workforce-management platforms became “AI-powered workforce management platforms.” Performance management became “AI-powered performance management.”
As The Register article noted, Apple often lags its competitors in launching a latest-and-greatest product. But in the long run, it ends up leading the market with features that offer genuine value.
And for now, the AI industry is still in an early, learning phase.
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“[Generative AI] is yet to prove it’s a hit,” The Register article read. “Microsoft's big chatbot bet to breathe life into no one's favorite search engine Bing hasn't translated into a major market share increase.”
