AI announcements are expected to be a big part of Apple’s upcoming Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) and a new report says the iPhone maker could have plans to protect data sent off-device for processing in the cloud.
Rumours suggest Apple will unveil a variety of AI features coming to iOS 18 at WWDC that will use a mix of on-device and cloud processing. On-device processing is generally preferred for data privacy and speed, but some features will likely require AI models that are too big to run on a smartphone and will require more powerful processing available off-device, such as the cloud.
However, sending data off-device for processing potentially opens it up to various privacy problems and runs against Apple’s long-standing privacy marketing. (Remember, what happens on your iPhone stays on your iPhone, or so says Apple.)
According to The Information (via 9to5Mac), Apple found a way to process user data while maintaining its privacy throughout the process, dubbed ‘black box processing.’ The report says Apple upscaled its ‘Secure Enclave‘ designs to enable this capability. Notably, a recent Bloomberg report about how Apple will use its M-series chips in data centres — dubbed Apple Chips in Data Centers (ACDC) — also mentioned the use of Secure Enclave.
No system is perfect, however, and The Information reported that there are potential weaknesses, such as if an attack gained physical access to Apple’s server hardware. At the same time, Apple’s approach is reportedly more secure than what other companies are doing.
The details about how all this works remain unclear, though that might change at WWDC. Interestingly, The Information reported that work on this secure processing capability began at least three years ago, well before the AI boom we’re in now. While it will benefit AI, Apple reportedly has other plans to utilize the capability, such as for offloading processing from a wearable to allow for a smaller, thinner wearable while still offering private processing capabilities.
Source: The Information Via: 9to5Mac
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