Apple is set to significantly expand its artificial intelligence capabilities with the upcoming rollout of its AI suite, Apple Intelligence, in 9 new languages. During the company's Q4 2024 quarterly results call on Thursday, CEO Tim Cook announced that the AI suite will soon be available in French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, and simplified Chinese, in addition to localized English versions for India and Singapore.
This development marks a significant expansion of Apple Intelligence, which initially only supported U.S. English upon its release last year. The company took a major step forward in December with the iOS 18.2 update, which introduced support for English in Australian, Canadian, New Zealand, South African, and U.K. localizations. However, Apple has not yet revealed plans to roll out its AI suite in the EU and Mainland China.
The language expansion is slated to take place in April, according to Cook. This move is likely to increase the adoption and usage of Apple Intelligence, particularly among users in regions where the AI suite was previously unavailable. The enhanced language support will also enable Apple to tap into new markets and demographics, potentially driving revenue growth and further solidifying the company's position in the AI space.
In addition to the language expansion, Cook also teased a new update to Siri, Apple's virtual assistant. The updated Siri will be capable of understanding on-screen context, a feature that is expected to significantly enhance the user experience. While Cook did not provide a specific timeline for the Siri update, he indicated that it would be rolled out "over the next several months."
The enhanced Siri capabilities and language expansion of Apple Intelligence demonstrate the company's ongoing commitment to advancing its AI capabilities. As the AI landscape continues to evolve, Apple's moves are likely to have significant implications for the tech industry as a whole. With the language expansion and Siri update, Apple is poised to further establish itself as a leader in the AI space, and its competitors will likely be taking note.
As Apple continues to push the boundaries of AI innovation, it will be interesting to see how the company's efforts impact the broader tech ecosystem. With the language expansion and Siri update, Apple is setting the stage for a new era of AI-driven innovation, and the implications are likely to be far-reaching.