Apple taps Google for its big Siri AI upgrade, Meta shrinks from the metaverse | Engadget TMA

Apple has officially confirmed a strategic partnership with Google to integrate Gemini models into the next generation of Siri, marking a decisive shift in the smartphone artificial intelligence landscape. Simultaneously, Meta is restructuring its hardware priorities, executing significant layoffs within its Reality Labs division to pivot focus toward AI-powered wearables.

Key Highlights

• Apple and Google Partnership: Google Gemini will power new generative AI features on Apple hardware, reportedly a deal valued at approximately $1 billion annually.
• Meta Layoffs: The social media giant is cutting over 1,000 jobs from its Reality Labs division after incurring more than $70 billion in losses since 2021.
• X Policy Shift: Following regulatory scrutiny, X (formerly Twitter) is restricting Grok’s image generation tools to subscribers and implementing geoblocking.
• AI Rights Management: Actor Matthew McConaughey has successfully trademarked his likeness and catchphrases to protect against unauthorized AI replication.

Apple Integrates Gemini for Next-Gen Siri

Following months of speculation regarding potential partnerships with OpenAI and Anthropic, Apple has confirmed that Google’s Gemini will serve as the foundational model for the upcoming iteration of Siri and other generative AI capabilities on Apple devices. This integration aims to significantly enhance the virtual assistant's ability to handle complex queries and generate content.

While official financial terms remain undisclosed, prior reports suggest Apple could pay Google nearly $1 billion annually for this integration. This development raises questions about the longevity of Apple’s current integration with OpenAI’s ChatGPT, which currently aids specific search functions on the iPhone.

Meta Downsizes Metaverse Ambitions

Meta has initiated a layoff of more than 1,000 employees within its Reality Labs division, the unit responsible for virtual reality (VR) and the company's "metaverse" initiatives. The restructuring signals a strategic pivot away from high-cost VR hardware development toward more commercially viable wearables, specifically AI-powered smart glasses like the recent Ray-Ban collaboration.

The decision follows a period of intense financial strain for the division.

"Reality Labs has met Reality, losing more than $70 billion since its beginning in 2021... That business hasn't been nearly profitable enough to justify those heady costs."

According to Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth, the VR division will operate with a leaner structure moving forward. While the company is not abandoning VR entirely, the aggressive push for the metaverse—which prompted Mark Zuckerberg to rebrand the company—is being scaled back in favor of immediate consumer trends.

Regulatory Pressures and AI Rights

Beyond hardware and partnerships, the tech industry is grappling with governance and intellectual property rights concerning generative AI.

X Restricts Grok Image Generation

Social platform X has updated its policies regarding the Grok AI image generator following investigations by state regulators. California Attorney General Rob Bonta cited an analysis revealing that over half of the 20,000 images generated by the tool between late December and early January depicted individuals in minimal clothing.

In response, X is moving image generation features behind its premium subscription wall and implementing geoblocking to prevent the creation of non-consensual deepfake imagery in jurisdictions where such content is illegal.

McConaughey vs. AI Replication

In a proactive move to secure intellectual property rights, actor Matthew McConaughey has filed and received approval for eight trademarks protecting his likeness, including video and audio clips of him staring, smiling, and speaking his signature catchphrase, "All right, all right, all right."

While existing laws prohibit commercial use of a celebrity's likeness, McConaughey’s strategy offers specific protection against AI training and replication. Notably, the actor remains involved in the sector as an investor in the voice AI startup ElevenLabs, highlighting the complex relationship between talent and technology.

As 2024 progresses, industry observers will be closely monitoring how the Apple-Google alliance impacts the competitive AI landscape and whether Meta’s leaner approach to hardware can finally stem the financial bleeding at Reality Labs.