Apple intends to make a big advancement in artificial intelligence this year. And this advancement will coincide with the release of iOS 18, the company's next-generation software upgrade for smartphones.

There are rumors that Apple intends to use its specially created data center CPUs to further incorporate AI into its product lineup.

Mark Gurman of Bloomberg claims that Apple is utilizing its potent internal CPUs, beginning with the M2 Ultra processor, which powers the top-of-the-line Mac Pro and Mac Studio desktops, to take on the most difficult AI tasks intended for its products. This includes supplying energy for a few of the planned iOS 18 features. These specially made CPUs have strong AI processing capabilities. Apple, however, is also considering releasing AI servers built on M4 processors in the future.

Gurman adds that three years ago, Apple first conceived of the idea to use its own hardware and cloud-based processing for AI activities. But recently, the pace of advancement in AI has quickened, thanks to programs like Google's Gemini and OpenAI's ChatGPT.

It has been stated that Apple intends to continue using a two-tiered approach to AI processing. Simpler functions like summarizing alerts will still be handled directly by the firm on Apple devices. Apple will use cloud-based services, meanwhile, for more complicated activities like long-form answer processing and picture production. The upgraded Siri is probably powered by the same powerful processing. This approach is consistent with Apple's pledge to employ AI to improve user experience while putting user security and privacy first.

According to earlier rumors, Apple intended to implement all AI technologies with on-device capabilities with iOS 18. But according to recent Gurman rumors, some of the functions could make use of cloud servers. It also suggests that Apple may eventually rely on servers from other businesses, even if it would first rely on its own servers for planning and distribution.

Luca Maestri, Apple's CFO, recently provided a sneak peek at this strategy on a call with investors. He said that Apple makes use of both its own and outside data center resources, citing a profitable past model that the business plans to continue.

It's interesting to note that on June 10, at the Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple is anticipated to reveal a thorough AI plan.

Aside from AI improvements, the next iOS 18 release is anticipated to include a number of significant additions. Customizing the home screen to let users place app icons anywhere they like, leave blank areas, and arrange icons in rows or columns is one of the planned updates.

There are also rumors that the upgrade may add support for Rich Communication Services (RCS) messaging. With the ability to send and receive high-resolution images and videos, voice messages, type indication, read receipts, and Wi-Fi messaging, this integration may enhance communication between

iPhone and Android users

According to reports, iOS 18 will also prioritize accessibility, perhaps introducing features like Adaptive Voice Shortcuts and a Live Speech classification system. iOS 18 may improve Apple Maps for navigation, allowing users to select favorite routes and view topographic maps, among other features.