In a recent discussion about Apple’s latest artificial intelligence (AI) initiatives, company co-founder Steve Wozniak gave his measured thoughts about the technology’s promise while advocating for a thoughtful, user-focused approach to AI deployment.
While Wozniak has tested Apple’s new AI capabilities through Siri, he maintains a characteristically pragmatic stance.
“I tried a few Siri searches. I made them a little more complicated in my wording than Siri normally gets, and they worked fine,” he noted, though he added: “I like to use things for a long time before I really comment on are they good or are they worthwhile.”
His cautious stance to AI stems from concerns about accuracy and understanding.
“I pretty much avoid large language models because I want things to be really other. I know it’s accurate, like something works rather than it didn’t work,” Wozniak explained. He expressed particular interest in being able to verify AI-generated information, suggesting that citation capabilities would be valuable: “I wish it had citations that you could click on any item that came back to you from AI and say, Where did this come from?”
Looking at Apple’s broader AI strategy, Wozniak praised the company’s commitment to user privacy and ethical considerations.
“Apple already shows that it cares so much about the employees and the users, not tracking you and being a little more private than the others,” he observed. “I think that’s a good sign that Apple is going to pay attention to, you know, not taking advantage of you with AI.”
Wozniak also stressed the importance of educating users about AI technology. Rather than rushing to implement features, he advised thorough testing and user preparation: “Have the best testing you can. I think a lot of user education should come along with this.”
The Apple co-founder’s perspective reflects his long-standing focus on user experience over market dynamics. When asked about Apple’s stock performance and AI investments, Wozniak reaffirmed his user-centric mindset: “I’m a user type person, not an investor. If you’re constantly watching something to go up and down in stock or valuation of this and that, you’re not going to be that happy.”
His comments offer valuable insight into how one of tech’s pioneering figures views the AI revolution, suggesting that careful implementation and user understanding should take precedence over rapid deployment.
Featured image: Credit: Gage Skidmore, Wikipedia
