Apple has announced its annual App Store awards, and the winner of the iPhone App of the Year title is Kino, a mobile video recording app launched by Lux, the company behind the professional photography app Halide. This decision comes as a surprise, given that ChatGPT, an AI-powered chatbot, is currently the number one app on the iPhone App Store in the US.

Kino was chosen from a pool of three finalists, which also included Runna, an app for tailoring running plans, and Tripsy, an app for organizing travels. While AI-powered apps did not make the cut for the top iPhone app award, Apple did recognize apps that integrate AI technology in other categories. For instance, Adobe Lightroom, which has several AI features, won the Mac App of the Year award, and Moises, an app that offers AI tools for musicians, won the iPad App of the Year award.

It's worth noting that the apps that won awards in other categories focus more on artistic endeavors that are arguably more human-centric than those powered fully by AI, such as chatbots. This aligns with Apple's goal of showcasing how its devices are used by creative professionals. The company seems to be emphasizing the importance of human creativity and innovation in the apps it features.

In addition to Kino, other winning apps included Lumy as Apple Watch App of the Year, F1 TV as Apple TV App of the Year, and Disney's What If…? An Immersive Story as Apple Vision Pro App of the Year. The winning games were AFK Journey as iPhone Game of the Year, Supercell's Squad Busters as iPad Game of the Year, Panic's Thank Goodness You're Here! as Mac Game of the Year, and Puddle's THRASHER: Arcade Odyssey as Apple Vision Pro Game of the Year. The Apple Arcade Game of the Year was Balatro+ from Playstack Ltd.

App Store editors also recognized six cultural impact winners, which represent other standout apps that Apple wanted to honor. These include Oko, which helps blind and low-vision users navigate; language learning app EF Hello; art exploration app DailyArt; the ever-popular NYT Games; cinematic and narrative game The Wreck; and an educational app for people living with HIV called Do You Really Want to Know? 2.

The decision to overlook ChatGPT, despite its popularity, raises questions about Apple's stance on AI-powered technology. While the company has been investing in AI research and development, it seems to be taking a more cautious approach when it comes to promoting AI-powered apps. This could be due to concerns about the potential risks and implications of AI technology, or a desire to focus on more human-centric innovations.

Overall, the App Store awards highlight the diversity and creativity of the app ecosystem, and Apple's commitment to recognizing and promoting innovative apps that make a positive impact on users' lives. As the tech industry continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how Apple's approach to AI-powered technology develops in the future.