Bloomberg: iOS 18 AI technology will depend on data centers equipped with an Apple processor

It comes on the heels of a Wall Street Journal A report said that Apple is today developing its own chips geared toward powering data centers focused on artificial intelligence Mark Gorman in Bloomberg Effectively confirmed The report with new details added to it.

From Gorman:

The company is putting advanced chips — similar to those it designed for Macs — in cloud computing servers designed to handle the most advanced artificial intelligence tasks coming to Apple devices, according to people familiar with the matter. Simpler AI-related features will be handled directly on iPhone, iPad and Mac devices, said the people, who asked to remain anonymous because the plan is still under wraps.

Gorman mentions that the first AI-focused chip in Apple’s data centers will be the M2 Ultra, which currently powers the Mac Pro and Mac Studio. But it likely won’t be long before the M4 Ultra is introduced in the future.

Today’s report provides strong support for the Wall Street Journal’s original report and highlights how Apple is seeking to leverage its strengths in Big Tech’s current quest for AI dominance.

Uniting its product lineup with Apple silicon has been a strong asset for Apple since the Mac’s M1 chip debuted in 2020. Harnessing the same powerful chipset team to create AI-focused data centers makes a lot of sense and could prove a long-term strength facing its competitors. Apple is difficult to match.