NEWS ANALYSIS
improve the capability of the pint-sized recorder, but it
also did it with privacy in mind. Using something called
Edge AI, Xnor.ai was able to process its algorithm engine
on the camera itself, meaning it didn’t need to transmit
images to a faraway cloud.
That cuts to Apple’s main privacy argument. We’ve
long suspected that the reason why Siri lags behind
Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa is that Apple
doesn’t collect the same kind of information that those
companies do and is thus at a disadvantage. Google
and Amazon may offer the ability to toggle privacy
settings, but the core business model relies on data
collection. It’s easier to improve AI processing when
you have a mountain of data to work with, especially
when you’re dealing with millions of users. But maybe
it doesn’t have to be that way.
Siri safe and sound
That’s where Xnor.ai comes in, and likely why Apple
deemed it worthy of several million dollars. I don’t
think Siri’s development (or lack thereof) is the
result of malaise or a lack of focus from Apple, but
rather the capabilities of the AI engine. Apple wants
to process as much as it can on the device, but the
reality is that it’s just not possible on Siri’s scale, at
least not without a little help.
It’s not for a lack of processing power. Apple’s
A-series Bionic chips are certainly capable. The
A13 on the iPhone 11 has both a faster-than-
ever Neural Engine and a set of machine learning
accelerators that handle more tasks than ever, but it’s
still limited to practical applications specific to the
NEWS ANALYSIS
improvethecapabilityofthepint-sizedrecorder,butit
alsodiditwithprivacyinmind.Usingsomethingcalled
EdgeAI,Xnor.aiwasabletoprocessitsalgorithmengine
onthecameraitself,meaningitdidn’tneedtotransmit
imagestoafarawaycloud.
ThatcutstoApple’smainprivacyargument.We’ve
longsuspectedthatthereasonwhySirilagsbehind
GoogleAssistantandAmazonAlexaisthatApple
doesn’tcollectthesamekindofinformationthatthose
companiesdoandisthusatadisadvantage.Google
and Amazonmayoffertheabilitytotoggleprivacy
settings,butthecorebusinessmodelreliesondata
collection.It’seasiertoimproveAIprocessingwhen
youhaveamountainofdatatoworkwith,especially
whenyou’redealingwithmillionsofusers.Butmaybe
it doesn’thavetobethatway.
Sirisafeandsound
That’swhereXnor.aicomesin,andlikelywhyApple
deemeditworthyofseveralmilliondollars.Idon’t
thinkSiri’sdevelopment(orlackthereof)isthe
resultofmalaiseoralackoffocusfromApple,but
ratherthe capabilitiesoftheAIengine.Applewants
toprocessasmuchasitcanonthedevice,butthe
realityisthatit’sjustnotpossibleonSiri’sscale,at
leastnotwithoutalittlehelp.
It’snotforalackofprocessingpower.Apple’s
A-seriesBionicchipsarecertainlycapable.The
A13ontheiPhone 11 hasbothafaster-than-
everNeuralEngineandasetofmachinelearning
acceleratorsthat handlemoretasksthanever,butit’s
stilllimited to practicalapplicationsspecifictothe
