Apple’s on-device AI features poised to include “Black Box” to protect data
Unsplash/AppleApple is expected to unveil its highly-anticipated AI strategy at WWDC 2024. This may also include innovative ways to protect user data.
Apple is poised to reveal a heap of announcements ready for WWDC 2024, including AI-powered operating systems for its devices, including iPhones, MacBooks, iPads, and more. However, Apple may also reveal plans to protect user data while being processed by AI applications.
According to The Information, the tech giant is looking to use a virtual “Black Box”, internally known as “Apple Chips in Data Centers” (ACDC)” to ensure user data privacy. The company feels that ACDC will offer the highest level of privacy, even preventing employee access.
The report suggests that Apple will only use its in-house hardware to perform AI processing on the cloud. To emphasize its commitment to protecting user data, Apple plans to develop custom M2 and M4 chips for AI servers, the report further states.
On a regular cloud server, data is only encrypted when saved on the disk and remains decrypted when transferred or processed. However, with ACDC, Apple might be looking to secure data even while it’s being processed.
AppleWith ACDC in place, user data would be out of bounds, even for Apple employees. This also rules out the possibility of Apple being able to hand over personal data to government authorities or law agencies.
When using on-device AI, the data processing happens instantaneously, and the data never leaves the device. With ACDC, Apple aims to make cloud data processing fast and secure.
The company wants to leverage in-house hardware and software to build a secure platform, suggesting that it has the edge over competitors that rely on third-party hardware from chipmakers like Intel or AMD.
As this has yet to be officially confirmed, be sure to take this report with a grain of salt until Apple officially announces its AI plans at WWDC.