Unveiling Apple's New AI Partnership with Google

Published On Fri Jul 12 2024
Unveiling Apple's New AI Partnership with Google

Apple's new AI is made in Google data centers

Apple is utilizing its own silicon to power its latest AI features, however, it relies on Google to train its models. As the AI competition intensifies, tech giants are forming unconventional partnerships behind the scenes. Google employees were met with a technical crisis when Apple requested additional TPUs for AI training. Apple recently unveiled its new AI features, highlighting its partnership with OpenAI to integrate ChatGPT on millions of iPhones - a position that Google had aimed to secure for itself.

Partnership with Google

Apple and Google had been collaborating for several months behind closed doors. Google provided Apple with access to its data centers, allowing the iPhone maker to train its new AI models. Google TPU Apple has traditionally relied on Google's and Amazon's cloud services to store data for its products. This collaboration grants Apple access to a multitude of Google's machines, enabling it to deliver the software features beloved by iPhone users.

Utilizing Google's Resources

For the training of Apple's AI models powering Apple Intelligence, the company sought additional access to Google's Tensor Processing Units (TPUs) for training. TPUs are specialized chips designed for artificial intelligence tasks, available for rent through Google's cloud service. Apple's request triggered a frenzy within Google as technical challenges threatened the timely delivery of Apple's requirements. Performance per dollar of GPUs and TPUs for AI inference Google's internal team, known as "OMG," worked tirelessly to meet Apple's needs, ultimately succeeding after intense efforts.

Implications and Future Prospects

This partnership exemplifies Apple's lag in the generative-AI race, forcing it to rely more heavily on competitors like Microsoft, Google, and Amazon for the infrastructure required for AI development. Despite facing challenges, Apple remains open to collaborations in the AI space, as highlighted by Craig Federighi's remarks post-WWDC keynote. Google Apple COVID-19 Partnership During Pandemic The future holds potential for further partnerships and advancements in AI technology.