Apple has struggled to seek out its footing in the world of generative AI up to now, however the firm isn’t giving up on changing into a real competitor in the business anytime quickly. To that time, indicators of an AI-powered “Support Assistant” for the Apple Support app had been uncovered in Apple’s code this week by MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris.
Primarily based on his findings, iPhone customers will have the ability to chat with the Support Assistant in the Apple Support app, which is free to obtain from the App Store. Perris additionally famous that the app does already embody a chat function. You possibly can contact a reside Apple assist agent throughout the app, which begins a dialog by way of the Messages app.
Presumably, the AI-powered Support Assistant will probably be completely different. The expectation is that you just’ll have the ability to chat immediately with the chatbot from the app and obtain assist whereas the assistant attracts on its generative AI coaching. You continue to have the choice to achieve out to a reside agent, however you possibly can attempt to get the data you want from the AI first.
In line with the code seen by Perris, the Support Assistant “makes use of generative fashions” to supply solutions “associated to sure Apple services.” As with different AI chatbots, Apple warns that the Support Assistant can present “incorrect, deceptive, incomplete, offensive, or dangerous outputs,” so it’s most likely greatest to not comply with its instructions blindly.
Perris discovered a reference to importing content material in the code, which may suggest that customers will have the ability to add recordsdata or photographs whereas searching for assist from the AI. Apple additionally states that it’s working with companions to supply Support Assistant, so there’s an opportunity that the brand new function is powered by ChatGPT, just like different current additions like Writings Instruments.
We don’t know when (or if) the function will see the sunshine of day, however it’s considered one of many new initiatives in the works for Apple’s working methods that has but to be formally introduced. For example, we simply realized about two new Apple Maps options yesterday.