Apple Plans to Upgrade AI Cloud Computers with M4 Chip in 2025

Apple might equip its AI cloud computers with M4 chip in 2025

According to a 9to5Mac report, Apple is reportedly preparing to upgrade its AI cloud computers with the new M4 chip, starting next year. Currently, these special cloud computers, designed for processing Apple Intelligence requests, are powered by the M2 Ultra chip. However, a new report suggests that the M4 chip will soon replace it, aiming to boost Apple's AI capabilities. A report from Nikkei Asia on Wednesday revealed that Apple is working with Foxconn to develop new AI servers in Taiwan. This collaboration is part of Apple's plan to accelerate the rollout of AI-based features. The decision to manufacture the servers in Taiwan is strategic, as Apple aims to leverage the engineering talent and R&D resources there, which are also used by Nvidia, another Foxconn customer. Apple M4 chip: Everything you need to know Apple Intelligence relies on both on-device processing and online cloud processing for certain tasks. When local device models can't handle a specific request, Apple turns to its Private Cloud Compute (PCC) modules. These modules ensure that data is processed with end-to-end encryption, extending the security and privacy of Apple devices into the cloud. "For the first time ever, Private Cloud Compute extends the industry-leading security and privacy of Apple devices into the cloud, making sure that personal user data sent to PCC isn't accessible to anyone other than the user -- not even to Apple. Built with custom Apple silicon and a hardened operating system designed for privacy, we believe PCC is the most advanced security architecture ever deployed for cloud AI compute at scale." -Apple Currently, most PCC modules are equipped with the M2 Ultra chip, with some using the older M1 chip for lighter workloads. The Nikkei Asia report indicates that Apple is now planning to upgrade these PCC modules with the M4 chip starting next year, which promises significant advancements in AI processing capabilities. Although the report doesn't specify which M4 variant will be used, it's speculated that the PCC modules will feature the upcoming M4 Ultra chip. This would be a logical choice, as the M4 family -- including the recently announced M4 Pro and M4 Max variants -- boasts substantial improvements in AI performance. Apple's move to integrate the M4 chip into its AI cloud computers signals its commitment to pushing the limits of AI capabilities while maintaining strong security and privacy for users. The M4 chip's enhanced performance for AI workloads could bring faster and more efficient processing to Apple Intelligence, benefiting users who rely on these AI features. Are we on the brink of a new wave of smarter, more responsive AI capabilities driven by Apple's latest hardware upgrades?

Apple to upgrade its AI cloud computers with the M4 chip next year

Apple has developed special computers to process certain Apple Intelligence requests privately in the cloud, and these computers currently run on the M2 Ultra chip. However, it seems that the company already has plans to upgrade its cloud computers with the M4 chip starting next year. A Nikkei Asia report on Wednesday revealed that Apple is in talks with Foxconn to build new artificial intelligence servers in Taiwan, as the company seeks to speed up the rollout of its AI-based features. Sources familiar with the matter say that Apple chose Taiwan to "tap the engineering talent and R&D resources" that work for Nvidia, which is also a Foxconn customer. For those unfamiliar, Apple Intelligence relies on both on-device and online processing. When local language models are unable to handle a request, Apple uses its Private Cloud Compute (PCC) modules to process the request with end-to-end encryption. Here's how Apple describes PCC: For the first time ever, Private Cloud Compute extends the industry-leading security and privacy of Apple devices into the cloud, making sure that personal user data sent to PCC isn't accessible to anyone other than the user -- not even to Apple. Built with custom Apple silicon and a hardened operating system designed for privacy, we believe PCC is the most advanced security architecture ever deployed for cloud AI compute at scale. 9to5Mac first found references to Apple PCCs in early 2023. While most PCCs are equipped with the M2 Ultra chip, Apple also has some modules running on the M1 chip - most likely to handle lighter tasks. Interestingly, according to Nikkei Asia, future PCC modules to be built next year will be equipped with the latest M4 chip introduced this year rather than the M2 Ultra. Since the M4 family of chips brings significant advances when it comes to AI tasks, it's no surprise that Apple wants to upgrade the modules used to process data from Apple Intelligence online. The report doesn't detail which variant of the M4 chip Apple will use in its future PCC modules, but presumably it will be the yet-to-be-introduced M4 Ultra chip. The company recently announced the M4 Pro and M4 Max variants after announcing the M4 earlier this year. Apple's Security Research blog has more details on how Private Cloud Compute works, and it's definitely worth a read.

Apple Intelligence may get an M4 upgrade | Digital Trends

According to Nikkei Asia, Apple is talking with its biggest iPhone manufacturing partner, Foxconn, about building new Apple Intelligence servers in Taiwan. More servers will mean more processing power for Apple Intelligence features, allowing more people to complete more complex tasks. Existing Apple servers are currently powered by the M2 Ultra chip but there are plans to use one of the new M4 chips for future servers. Recommended Videos It's uncertain yet whether existing servers will be upgraded to M4 chips, and we also don't know which version of the chip Apple will be using. It could be the base chip, the Pro, the Max, or an Ultra variant that hasn't been announced yet. Judging by leaked Geekbench scores, the M4 Max blows the M2 Ultra out of the water, so it could easily power new servers and provide a substantial upgrade for existing ones. However, Foxconn is already fairly busy with all of the Nvidia AI servers it makes, and some sources are doubtful that the company will be able to take on Apple as well. After products like ChatGPT exploded in popularity, Apple was comparatively slow to jump on the AI bandwagon, with its Apple Intelligence features still in the middle of a staggered rollout. The desire to build more servers implies Apple wants to dive deeper into artificial intelligence products and services, possibly offering more complex features that can't be processed on-device. When your iPhone or Mac connects to Apple's Private Cloud Compute models to borrow more processing power, Apple claims that your data is never stored on the servers or shared with the company. Instead, the powerful M2 Ultra chips powering the server complete the task and send the results back to your device. If you haven't really noticed any Apple Intelligence features on your iPhone yet, that's because all the big ones are coming with the iOS 18.2 update in December. That includes Genmoji, which will allow you to create custom emoji, and Image Playground for generating images within various apps. Siri will also be getting a ChatGPT upgrade, making the AI features on your iPhone much more noticeable.