In the ever-evolving landscape of smartphone technology, artificial intelligence (AI) has become a central focus for major players such as Google and Samsung. Now, as the AI conversation continues to dominate the industry, Apple is feeling the pressure to catch up with its upcoming flagship model, the iPhone 16 Pro.

A recent report from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman suggests that Apple's iOS 18 software update will be crucial in bringing AI experiences to the iPhone 16 Pro. With no significant hardware advancements expected for the next generation iPhone, Apple is relying on the power of its software to entice consumers.

One of the key AI features to be implemented in the iPhone 16 Pro is a large language model (LLM) developed by Apple itself. This new version of Siri will utilize the LLM, allowing for more natural language and speech patterns. These advancements in Siri's functionality will be showcased at Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference in June 2024, where the tight integration of AI-powered Siri is expected to take center stage in the iOS 18 update.

In addition to Siri, Apple is looking to exploit AI in various other areas. Bloomberg's Gurman highlights potential AI-powered features such as writing assistance in Pages, presentation deck construction in Keynotes, and auto-generating playlists in Apple Music. The extent to which these features can be implemented on-device versus offloading to the cloud remains to be seen. It is anticipated that the next iPhone Apple Silicon chipset, possibly named the A18, will include built-in AI hardware capabilities akin to Google's Tensor and Qualcomm's Snapdragon chipsets.

However, a looming question arises regarding the existing iPhones that will support iOS 18. Will they be left behind as the AI train departs Cupertino? One possible solution is the option to split the AI offerings, with more intensive AI work offloaded to the cloud while a subset of features runs locally on the iPhone. The performance capabilities of older or slower iPhones may necessitate more AI processing in the cloud, potentially conflicting with Apple's commitment to keeping user data processing on the device.

As Apple strives to jump aboard the AI revolution, it finds itself playing catch-up against the Android-powered competition. Despite quietly incorporating AI features, Apple has failed to capture the public's imagination in the same way as its rivals. The recent release of the iPhone 15 family, which focused on camera quality and construction materials, missed the opportune moment for Apple to assert itself in the AI domain.

Apple remains tight-lipped about its future plans, leaving the industry to speculate on its AI ambitions. However, as the Android ecosystem continues to champion AI-powered smartphones, the pressure mounts for Apple to become an active participant in the AI conversation. Although official statements may not be forthcoming, it is expected that various sources will shed more light on Apple's AI plans in the coming year.

Only time will tell if the iPhone 16 Pro will be Apple's ticket to finally joining the AI revolution that has captivated the smartphone market. In the meantime, consumers eagerly await further updates on Apple's AI strategy and how it aims to deliver compelling AI experiences to its faithful fans and the broader consumer market.