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-QpTBqtAHUw.jpg "Apple ReALM")
Apple researchers have developed a new AI system called ReALM, designed to revolutionize voice assistant interactions by understanding context and on-screen references.
This advancement, detailed in a recent research paper, paves the way for more natural and intuitive user experiences.
"Understanding context, including references within conversations, is crucial for any voice assistant," explains the researchers.
"Enabling users to ask questions about what's on their screen is a critical step towards achieving a truly hands-free experience."
ReALM's Secret Weapon: Large Language Models
ReALM tackles the complex challenge of reference resolution by transforming it into a language modelling problem.
This strategy leverages the power of large language models, allowing ReALM to significantly outperform existing methods.
Here's how it works: ReALM analyzes on-screen elements and their locations, then reconstructs the screen layout as a textual representation.
This, combined with language models fine-tuned specifically for reference resolution, empowers ReALM to surpass even cutting-edge models like GPT-4.
"Our research demonstrates significant improvements over existing systems across various reference types," note the researchers.
"Even our smallest model achieves over 5% better performance on on-screen references compared to previous methods, and our larger models significantly outperform GPT-4."
Focused Language Models for Efficient AI
This research highlights the potential of focused language models for tasks like reference resolution in real-world applications.
Unlike massive, end-to-end models, these focused models operate within production systems without being hindered by latency or computational limitations.
The researchers acknowledge the limitations associated with relying solely on automated screen parsing.
Complex visual references, such as differentiating between multiple images, might necessitate incorporating computer vision and multi-modal techniques.
Apple's AI Ambitions: Quiet Progress with Big Announcements on the Horizon
While Apple hasn't made any official announcements, they've been steadily advancing in AI research.
Though trailing some rivals in the fast-paced AI landscape, CEO Tim Cook hinted at upcoming developments during a recent earnings call, stating, "We're excited to share details of our ongoing work in AI later this year."
Rumours suggest Apple might use the upcoming Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June as a platform for major AI announcements.
The reveal of a new large language model framework, potentially an "Apple GPT," alongside other AI-powered features across various Apple ecosystems (iOS, macOS, etc.) is anticipated at WWDC.
