Apple Pours Water on "Smart" AI

The tech industry loves the next big idea. Right now, that big idea is AI Agents. Software giants like Microsoft, Salesforce, Oracle, and SAP are all in, betting AI Agents will be the next technological leap forward. They're promising machines that can think, machines that can reason.

Apple's researchers cut through the smoke and mirrors, revealing Generative AI and AI Smart Agents for what they are: more savant and less decision-makers (Apple's AI reasoning research ). Generative AI models can follow reasoning patterns with unnerving accuracy, but generative AI's ability to reason remains elusive.

When asked if today's Large Language Models can reason, Apple scientists emphatically respond with a "NO."

Remember when Apple didn't have phones? Or watches? Or those ubiquitous white earbuds? Yeah, Apple turned out okay. Apple doesn't rush into new technologies, but when they do enter, it brings a new perspective and often sets new standards.

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Are AI agents enterprise-ready?

If AI agents aren't reasoning, why all the hype? Tech giants like Microsoft, Oracle, Salesforce, and SAP are integrating AI agents into their platforms, not as independent decision-makers but as features that make complex software more manageable by automating repetitive tasks and providing insights. AI agents for these titans are about keeping market share and competitive moats.

AI agents can assist workers and teams in making sense of the overwhelming data they encounter daily. However, AI agents are not ready to be autonomous decision-makers; think of AI agents as digitally gifted toasters riding on us piggyback and whispering insights into our ears.

How to think like Apple for AI:

• Focus on Amplifying Your Existing Advantages: Use AI to bolster your current strengths, not as a standalone solution.
• Aim for Competitive Edge, Not Parity: With the mass distribution of Generative AI, the true advantage lies in a unique application, not mere adoption of other Agents.
• Value Creation over Cost Capture: AI Agents have potential, but only when strategically deployed to create tangible value.

Watch, learn, and experiment—but don't fall for the illusion that AI Agents are ready to take over just yet. The real winners in this AI will be those who, like Apple, see beyond the hype and focus on meaningful innovation and value creation.

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AI for the People launched on November 30, 2022, the same day ChatGPT was unleashed. I was an Enterprise AI veteran at C3.AI , working as Global VP to bring AI, analytics, and digital twins to the energy sector. I knew something big was happening with the release of ChatGPT. I felt like a DJ at a party where everyone's favorite song was about to drop, but they didn't know it yet.

The early articles caught fire, with tens of thousands of views—not precisely Kardashian numbers, but 100 to 1,000 times my usual reach on LinkedIn. I hit a nerve.

Remember, two short years ago, 70% of AI projects failed—buried under jargon and unintelligible digital science. McKinsey, Gartner, Accenture, and others were all debating why AI was not taking off. Most people were befuddled, confused, and perplexed by AI. There was no clear path to adoption.

"AI for the People" is my promise to bring practical common sense and some fun while remaining focused on user adoption. And I promised I'd do it for only two years. Thirty articles later, we are on the home stretch. We have witnessed the most significant user adoption wave in history.

Thanks for being part of the journey. All opinions are my own.