Google-predecessor-turned-parent-company Alphabet is being coy about its partnership with Apple in artificial intelligence as speculation grows that AI will take center stage on all the major platforms. Industry analysts say the silence is likely a result of both companies’ reserved strategic stances in an intensifying competition for AI supremacy.
It highlights a broader trend around how Big Tech companies manage their public messaging on AI — and in particular where hopes of co-operation clash with competitive interests.
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Why Alphabet Is Keeping Quiet
Alphabet has also declined to respond on rumors than it is engaged in a pair of joint AI projects with Apple, despite attracting increasing interest from investors and tech-watchers. Some experts speculate that the silence could actually be deliberate, as they are both trying to:
Safeguard competitive edge in AI competition.
Avoid signaling strategic directions
Handle regulatory investigations from all over the world
Analysts note that Alphabet has generally been more open about a number of its AI milestones compared to Apple, so talk about the company hearing voices from Siri seems to get a cooler reception.
Apple and Google: Friends, Rivals, Partners
Although Apple and Google are rivals in several areas — from operating systems for mobile devices to hardware ecosystems, which makes the pairing unusual, it follows precedent, such as them working together on iOS and Android core technologies.
The potential for deeper cooperation in AI has been intriguing, thanks to the prospect that a partnership between two of the world’s largest tech companies could influence how AI capabilities are deployed across millions of devices.
But there has been no official statement or joint announcement from either side – fueling speculation on the strategic silence.
What Analysts Are Saying
Some industry experts point to several reasons for Alphabet’s lack of transparency.
Strategic Positioning
Alphabet’s silence may keep its options open as it ponders the implications of AI partnerships on competitive positioning.
Regulatory Caution
Regulators in big tech markets like the U.S., EU and parts of Asia have gotten more cautious about deals that impact consumer data, antitrust and market dominance. Statements to the public about joint AI strategies might induce closer monitoring.
Messaging Control
Alphabet may be focusing more on control of its own narrative in AI development than it is on setting expectations based on another company’s strategy.
What This Means for Consumers
For the average consumer, silence from the tech giant doesn’t translate to an immediate loss of existing AI-powered features on Google or Apple gadgets. Both companies have been pushing updates to their apps which include:
Search enhancements
Virtual assistants
Image and voice recognition
On-device machine learning
The company’s still making plenty of plays around AI however, and consumers can likely expect AI to become more integral in future product updates — even if those partnerships exist from the get-go. Alphabet’s decision not to publicly comment on the topic of AI collaboration with Apple serves as a reminder of just how tactical plays in tech can become. Whether this is a role of caution, unadmitted closer cooperation, or competitive uncertainty – not yet clear.
For now, investors, developers, and users will look to future product announcements and earnings reports for signs of what the AI-led superstar companies of the next decade may look like.
