Apple strongly criticised Silicon Valley companies speeding up AI development and highlighted a differentiated AI strategy. With social concerns rising over indiscriminate technology competition, Apple’s approach, which puts privacy protection and practicality first, is drawing attention.

On Oct. 19, local time, IT outlet 9to5Mac reported that Greg Joswiak (그렉 조스위악), Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide marketing, described some in Silicon Valley focused on developing superintelligence as a “lunatic fringe” in a recent interview with Time.

Apple has been seen as late to adopt AI technologies compared with rivals. That contrasts with Microsoft, Google and Meta, which have poured large sums into developing AI models.

Joswiak said Apple’s goal is not to show off its technology but to build AI that helps ordinary users in their daily lives. He said a strategy that prioritises privacy could also become a competitive edge as backlash against AI spreads. The outlet said it agreed with that approach and warned of risks caused by the AI industry’s unlimited development race.

It said AI advances could threaten not only jobs but human expertise itself. As automation expands across occupations such as truck driving, marketing and software development, the role of humans could shrink, it said.

Similar concerns were raised in academia. Mathematics professor Giordano Scarciotti (조르다노 스카르초티) warned that if AI solves in a short time problems researchers have not been able to crack for years, future generations could lose motivation to take on mathematics or scientific research.

Scarciotti also voiced concern that even if AI produces scientific achievements, there could be too few researchers to understand them and apply them in the real world. He also pointed to the possibility that fewer human experts will be able to understand AI-generated code in software development.

Still, these changes remain concerns about the future, and it is unclear how much will materialise. The outlet said it was uncertain whether Apple could prevent the side effects of AI advances, but at least it does not join the unlimited technology acceleration race. It added that appropriate political oversight and regulation of the AI industry are needed.