Apple's recent announcement of its 2024 iPhone App of the Year finalists has sparked controversy, as the list appears to downplay the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) technology on the mobile app ecosystem. Notably, popular AI-powered apps like ChatGPT, Anthropic's Claude, and Microsoft Copilot were not nominated for the prestigious award, despite their significant influence on the industry.

The omission of ChatGPT, in particular, is striking, given its rapid adoption and innovative features. The app, which has become the fastest-growing consumer application in history, has introduced clever new features in 2024, including an Advanced Voice Mode and a web search feature that challenges Google. Moreover, ChatGPT is now an Apple partner for its Siri improvements, making its exclusion from the list even more surprising.

While Apple's list of 45 finalists across various categories does include a few AI-powered apps, such as Moises, an app that offers AI tools for practicing music, and Adobe Lightroom, which now includes AI-powered features, these mentions are sparse and do not reflect the significant role AI technology plays in modern mobile apps. The majority of the finalists' apps focus on empowering human creativity, rather than leveraging AI automation.

This trend is not unique to Apple, as Google also avoided nominating ChatGPT as an overall winner last year. Instead, Google dubbed party-planning app Partiful its app of the year. The lack of recognition for AI-powered apps raises questions about the tech giants' stance on the technology and its potential impact on the mobile app ecosystem.

Apple's curated list of finalists suggests that apps that assist users in performing specific tasks, such as recording professional video or organizing travels, are more worthy of highlighting than those that rely on AI automation. This perspective may be at odds with the growing importance of AI technology in modern mobile apps, which are increasingly leveraging AI to enhance user experiences and provide innovative features.

The addition of the new Apple Vision Pro category, which will pick both an app and game winner, may offer some solace to AI-powered app developers. However, the overall lack of recognition for AI technology in Apple's iPhone App of the Year finalists list is a concerning trend that warrants further examination.

As the mobile app ecosystem continues to evolve, it remains to be seen how Apple and other tech giants will acknowledge and incorporate AI technology in their awards and recognition programs. One thing is clear, however: the impact of AI on mobile apps cannot be ignored, and its undervaluation may have significant implications for the industry's future.