Technologies
Google Flooded the Internet With AI News. Where’s Apple?
Apple hasn’t publicly entered the generative AI race yet. But there’s a good chance we’ll see the technology baked into its upcoming software.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard the term «generative AI» at least a handful of times now, perhaps thanks to the wildly popular ChatGPT service. The AI-powered chatbot’s success didn’t just shine a spotlight on OpenAI, the creator behind it, but it also catalyzed an AI arms race in the tech industry – a race from which Apple has been noticeably absent.
Earlier this month, Google made a flurry of AI-related announcements at its annual developer conference, including a new AI-infused version of search and Bard, its AI-powered chatbot, which is being rolled out across the world. It’s not just Google. Before that, Microsoft built generative AI into its suite of long-established productivity apps like Word, PowerPoint and Outlook in a move that’s changing how more than a billion people work. In February, Meta released its own sophisticated AI model, which has many of the same capabilities at ChatGPT and Bard, as open-source software for public use.
But what about Apple?
The short answer: Even though AI technology is hardly new to Apple, the iPhone maker still remains missing – at least publicly – from the current generative AI gold rush.
«We’re in the heart of the generative AI hype cycle, and there are major new developments weekly, » Avi Greengart, analyst at Techsponential, told CNET. «Apple can afford to be deliberate in how it applies new technologies to fit its ecosystem.»

OpenAI recently dropped a ChatGPT app for the iPhone. The new app, which is free, gives you a way to take OpenAI’s AI chatbot on the go.
Apple’s wait-and-see approach
Apple has typically adopted a wait-and-see approach around emerging technology, and that has often worked for the tech giant. For instance, the iPad wasn’t the first-ever tablet, but for many, including CNET editors, it is the best tablet. A more recent example on the hardware side is foldable phones. Apple is the only major holdout, with Google beating it to the punch. The search giant launched its inaugural foldable phone, the Pixel Fold, at its developer conference in May – and it hasn’t been making phones for as long as Apple. There are rumors, however, that a foldable iPhone, possibly known as the iPhone Flip, could go to market in 2025.
Based on remarks from CEO Tim Cook, it seems like Apple may be taking a similar approach with generative AI. «I do think it’s very important to be deliberate and thoughtful in how you approach these things,» Cook said in response to a question related to generative AI on Apple’s earnings call in May. «And there’s a number of issues that need to be sorted. … AI is being talked about in a number of different places. But the potential is certainly very interesting.»
However, with a fast-developing AI technology, Apple could risk falling far behind its rivals. For all Apple’s business success, it has lagged in specific categories. For instance, its HomePod smart speaker didn’t hit the market until years after the Amazon Echo and Google Home, which have a far higher market share than Apple in the smart speaker category.
When it comes to the topic of AI, Apple isn’t alone in adopting a cautious approach. It’s also coming from the technology’s own backers – including the founder and CEO of OpenAI, Sam Altman, who has concerns ranging from election disinformation to mass jobs displacement.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman describes Microsoft’s AI partnership at a Bing search engine press event.
Last Tuesday, speaking before a Senate subcommittee, Altman said he’s «eager» for artificial intelligence to be regulated. He also spoke about the promise of artificial intelligence and discussed its potential harms. «If this technology goes wrong, it can go quite wrong,» he said.
Altman’s comments followed calls by a group of AI researchers and tech leaders, including Elon Musk and Steve Wozniak, to pause development of AI systems more powerful than GPT-4 over concerns about runaway risks without sufficient guardrails. Geoffrey Hinton, credited as the «godfather of AI,» resigned from Google in May so that he could freely share his concerns about the technology he helped create, which he says could cause the world serious harm.
Does generative AI fit into Apple’s business?
Although Apple hasn’t publicly entered the generative AI fight, a recent 9to5Mac report said that the iPhone maker is working on an upgrade to Siri, one that could improve the virtual assistant’s conversational abilities via ChatGPT-like AI concepts. Apple didn’t reply to a request for comment.
While Apple hasn’t publicly discussed any plans for generative AI-based products, Cook did discuss the company’s focus on AI during its May earnings call. He cited AI-powered features like fall and crash detection, which are both available on the latest iPhones and Apple Watches.
«We view AI as huge,» he said. «We’ll continue weaving it into our products on a very thoughtful basis.»
AI is far from a brand new concept to Apple. Siri, which was released 12 years ago, uses speech recognition and machine learning to understand a query and serve up an answer. In recent months, Apple debuted camera enhancements such as photographic styles and the ability to cut and paste a subject from an image, both of which depend on AI.
In addition, Apple’s Macs and MacBooks, which now run on Apple-designed M1 and M2 chips, have dedicated neural engines with 16 cores, which are aimed at AI and machine learning tasks. Apple says AI performance is 40% faster than with its old Intel chips.
«You can expect that AI performance will become more and more important as more developers figure it out,» wrote CNET’s Stephen Shankland in a January article detailing Apple’s M2 chipset.
But as Greengart highlights, it would make sense for Apple to bring the tech to certain products that extend beyond Siri as well as its current AI-powered offerings.
«Apple likes to position itself as being at the intersection of technology and liberal arts,» Greengart told CNET in an email. «Generative AI would fit nicely into tools and software that Apple provides for artistic and personal expression; that could include anything from GarageBand to photo editing to email across iPhones, iPads, and Mac.»
However, a chatbot in the vein of OpenAI’s ChatGPT or Google’s Bard is likely not in the books for Apple. The underlying technology behind those chatbots, known as large language models, has a high resource requirement for development. That means significant investment in the form of computing resources, human talent and power, rendering it a possibility for huge enterprises with vast resources. While Apple presumably has those resources, it’ll have to be a worthwhile investment for the iPhone maker.
All eyes on WWDC
After Google devoted a considerable amount of air time to generative AI at its conference this month, all eyes are on Apple and what it might reveal at its Worldwide Developers Conference on June 5. Apple executives could offer more clues on how the iPhone maker views generative AI and how it fits into the broader business. At WWDC, Apple typically introduces new software for the iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad and so on, and it’s possible that Apple could bake more AI into those updates.
Ahead of the conference, Apple previewed a slew of accessibility software features expected to make their way to its upcoming iOS 17 mobile operating system. One of the noteworthy drops is called Personal Voice. It uses on-device machine learning to allow users at risk of speech loss to replicate a voice after about 15 minutes of training. The phone can then speak aloud typed-out phrases, and it’s compatible with FaceTime and phone calls in a feature that could be a form of generative AI for voice.
More likely to take center stage, however, is Apple’s highly anticipated mixed reality headset, which would mark the company’s first entry into a new hardware category since 2015. According to a January Bloomberg report, it’ll cost around $3,000, run on Apple’s latest M2 chipset, boast eye- and hand-tracking systems, and feature a digital crown that lets users switch between AR and VR modes. It’s also probable that Apple will take advantage of fast-developing AI technology for its latest device as well.
«We need to keep in mind that generative AI is not only about generating text but also other types of content like graphics,» Will Wong, of market researcher International Data, told CNET. «Thus, it will be an area that is favorable for Apple to look into, especially if there is an AR/VR headset that comes into its product portfolio.»
Technologies
AT&T Rumored to Launch New Top-Tier Unlimited Phone Plan Soon
Online reports point to a new plan, potentially called Elite 2.0, that boosts hotspot data for a premium price.
When AT&T recently revamped its unlimited phone plans, the top-level Premiere 2.0 plan cost more than the Unlimited Premium PL plan it replaced. (The Extra 2.0 and Value 2.0 plans came in as less expensive options than their predecessors.) And then the company raised the costs of «retired» plans, encouraging subscribers to switch over — but not giving folks willing to pay for top-tier plans much incentive to do so.
Now it looks like AT&T is going to add a pricier unlimited plan that includes more hotspot data to the top spot of its lineup.
As reported by Android Authority referencing a video by Sneed Mobile Tech, AT&T will soon introduce an Elite 2.0 plan that includes 250GB of hotspot data as well as unlimited talk, text and high-speed data in 20 Latin American countries.
The new plan is reportedly priced at $75 per line on an account with four lines. AT&T lets you mix and match their plans on an account, with the per-line price going down the more lines you have. A single-line price is not listed, but Sneed Mobile Tech speculates it could run $110.
It will also include the company’s AT&T Turbo feature that boosts data throughput and video quality and offers unlimited international talk and text, 20GB of global data and «smartwatch and tablet access,» according to the video, which appears to show a leaked data sheet detailing the differences between plans.
An AT&T representative didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Technologies
Scientists Use AI to Map Ocean Currents in Incredible Detail
Understanding ocean currents is important for work such as weather forecasting, climate research, search-and-rescue operations and oil spill response.
The shifting patterns of ocean currents shape our climate and weather. Even today, understanding how ocean currents behave is challenging. But researchers have developed an AI tool that can map currents across large swaths of the ocean with a level of detail previously unachievable.
The team from the University of California, San Diego, published their work in the journal Nature Geoscience on April 13. They trained an AI network using thermal imagery from weather satellites in an approach they call GOFlow (Geostationary Ocean Flow).
«We can now observe small, fast-changing ocean currents from space with much greater detail and frequency than before,» Luc Lenain, an oceanographer at UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the study’s first author, told CNET. «Those currents are important because they help control how heat, carbon, nutrients and pollutants move through the ocean.»
Ebbs and flows
A few years ago, while Lenain was looking through thermal satellite images of the North Atlantic Ocean, he noticed visual patterns in temperature changes from major currents, such as the Gulf Stream. He had an idea for a new way to measure ocean currents by taking what his eye could see and putting it into an AI tool.
The researchers trained the GOFlow neural network on simulated ocean currents, then used It on real images from a weather satellite. The AI tool used satellite images to track surface temperatures, which shift due to underlying ocean currents.
By tracking temperature changes in the images, GOFlow inferred which current caused them.
The team checked their work against data that was gathered by ships in the Gulf Stream region. They also tested GOFlow’s results against more traditional satellite methods that rely on tracking height changes in the ocean surface.
The researchers found that their outputs aligned with other ship and satellite results, but they say that GOFlow also provided greater detail on ocean currents than had previously been documented only in computer models.
«These kinds of [AI] driven approaches are not replacing physics,» Lenain said. «Instead, AI is helping us extract physical information that is already present in satellite observations, but has been difficult to recover with traditional methods until now.»
The view from above
Despite GOFlow’s achievements, the researchers note that the tool has some limitations, such as cloud cover: Cloudy days can block a satellite’s view of the ocean. They say future work will incorporate additional satellite data to fill these gaps.
The computer code developed by the researchers will be made publicly available to help further work.
«We wanted to make this work transparent, reproducible and useful to the broader community,» Lenain said. «We see GOFlow as a stepping stone toward more routine use of large remote-sensing datasets combined with machine learning.»
Gathering satellite images to learn about ocean currents is an example of Earth observation. Governments and militaries, as well as farmers and insurance companies, rely on this data for decision-making.
The GOFlow project is part of a larger AI trend, as AI tools can speed up and improve the accuracy of data analysis. NASA, the European Space Agency and private space firms have begun building and testing AI tools that can analyze such data.
Technologies
Can’t File Your Income Taxes by Today? You Need to File a Free Extension Now
The best tax software will let you file a federal income tax extension to give yourself six more months to finish your taxes.
Time’s up, US taxpayers. The deadline for filing your income taxes is today. You have until midnight tonight to submit your 2025 tax return electronically or have it postmarked.
If you’re not able to finish your 2025 tax return today, or if you’re still missing important tax documents, don’t fret. You can file a free tax extension with the IRS, which will give you another six months to complete and submit your tax return.
There’s no cost or penalty for filing a tax extension, and most tax software will help you complete the process in a few minutes. However, there are some critical details to be aware of before you make the decision to postpone your taxes for another six months.
Read on to find all of the details for filing a tax extension in 2026 and how it will affect your tax refund or the money that you owe.
What’s the deadline to file an income tax extension?
Along with the tax return submission deadline, there’s a deadline to file for a tax extension. You’ll need to submit it by 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, April 15, in your time zone. That’s also the tax filing deadline.
How to file an income tax extension in 2026
If you’re planning to file a tax extension this year, you’ll need to submit Form 4868 (PDF) to the IRS either by paper or electronically using e-file before the April 15 deadline. As long as your electronic extension is transmitted by midnight on April 15, or your letter is postmarked by that date, your extension should be good.
However, if you think that you owe taxes, you’ll need to pay your estimated income tax due using Direct Pay, the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System or using a debit or credit card. If you don’t pay your estimated taxes with your extension and owe money, you’ll have to pay interest on that money and a potential penalty when you file.
Some taxpayers are automatically granted more time to file. This includes military personnel serving in combat zones or people in federally declared disaster areas. US citizens who live outside the country have until June 17 to file.
Does an extension give you more time to pay your tax bill?
No. Extending your filing deadline doesn’t delay when you have to pay taxes that you may owe. According to the IRS, you need to estimate and pay at least 90% of your tax liability by the deadline to avoid late fees. Otherwise, you will have accrued interest on what you owe, which you’ll eventually have to pay — plus possible penalties — on top of your income taxes.
The late-payment penalty is usually 0.5% per month of the outstanding tax not paid by the filing deadline, maxing out at 25%. The IRS can also issue a late-filing penalty of 5% of the amount due for every month or partial month your tax return is late. If your return is filed more than 60 days after the due date, the minimum late-filing penalty is either $450 or 100% of the unpaid tax (whichever is less).
For individual taxpayers, penalties and interest will stop accruing only when your balance is paid in full. For more on penalties or to work out a payment plan with the IRS, check out its web page.
How is child tax credit money related to tax returns?
The child tax credit provides benefits for parents of children, allowing them to lower the amount they owe in taxes each year based on how many dependents they claim. If you had a new baby or gained a dependent, you can both decrease the amount of taxes you owe and increase the amount you may get back in a tax refund.
The Child Tax Credit allows families to receive up to $2,200 per eligible child under the age of 17, as long as certain income requirements are met. By not filing your taxes by the deadline, you could be missing out on up to $2,200 per child.
Will you receive your tax refund later if you file an extension?
Yes. The timeline for getting your income tax refund depends on when you file. But even though you have until Oct. 15 to submit your return if you file an extension, it doesn’t mean you have to wait that long to file.
Some tax refunds, especially for more complicated returns or those that need corrections, could take months to arrive. The IRS encourages taxpayers to file electronically and carefully review their details before submitting to avoid any errors that could potentially delay refunds. The agency also asks that you sign up for direct deposit to get your money even faster.
All of the ways you can file your 2025 tax return
The IRS says that taxpayers can file and schedule their federal tax payments online, by phone or with the mobile IRS2Go app.
If you need to find a tax software service to use, and you made $89,000 or less in 2025, you can find an IRS-approved free filing service easily. You’ll need to gather the following information: income statements (W2s or 1099s), any adjustments to your income, your filing status (single, married, filing jointly), and dependent information. If you made more than $89,000 last year, you still can use the IRS’ Free File Fillable Forms.
If you haven’t already made a tax payment, the IRS prefers that payments be made electronically and offers a variety of ways to do so, including IRS Direct Pay, which is directly linked to a checking or savings account. Another option is by credit card using the mobile IRS2Go app, or through the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System.
How to review your IRS tax account online
An easy way to review all your tax-related details, including your address and payment plan details, is to access your IRS account online. Taxpayers can use information from their accounts if they need to access their adjusted gross income, find their stimulus payment and child tax credit amounts, or review their estimated tax payments or credits. Accessing your tax transcript will give you all the records necessary if you have a tax problem or a missing payment.
If you have additional questions, you can visit the IRS Interactive Tax Assistant to get help.
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