Back in April, Apple product designer and Siri co-founder Tom Gruber gave a TED Talk, where he spoke about his vision of the future of computers and artificial intelligence.

The full 10-minute TED Talk was today published on YouTube, giving us a chance to hear his complete thoughts on the future of AI and Siri.


In his talk, Gruber says computers should be used to lessen human failings, like memory, and augment human capabilities. He believes computers should log all aspects of our lives, allowing us to remember the people we've met and details about them, like favorite sports, family members, and name pronunciation.

Gruber's talk also covers the importance of privacy and a range of useful applications for AI, like cancer detection and advanced personal assistants like Siri.

Top Rated Comments

thekeyring Avatar
109 months ago
I just want an AI which will accurately predict songs I'll like.

Not 'songs by the same artist' or 'you might like this, because other users who like the same artists as you also like it'.

But often I'll listen to an album from the bands I like, or be listening to the radio, and here those songs that I absolutely love.

Give me an AI which I can keep telling which songs fall into that category, and it can work out what it is I love about them, and find other songs which I'll love, too.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Number 9 Avatar
109 months ago
I find it annoying that people like Tom Gruber working on a big problem like AI talk glowingly about what the future might bring in terms of capabilities but never talk about potential unintended consequences. Nobody in the past speaking glowingly about the future of the Internet mentioned terrorist recruitment videos on YouTube, fake news sites built in the Ukraine spewing garbage about a candidate for president to profit on ads clicked on by gullible true believers, ransomeware, persistent cookies, etc.

I didn't find any of the powers Tom Gruber spoke so enthusiastically about in this video to be things I want. No I don't want a database in the cloud of every person I've ever met with their family and friends info and I sure don't want every person I ever meet to have my name and family info in their database.

When I was young you had to be at the bank by 3pm if you needed to withdraw money, today I wave my applewatch in front of a small device to pay for goods and services, I carry a phone and travel maps and books and a bizzillion songs in my pocket. All great. I believe the future will bring cool powers too but I also wonder about how the unexamined dark consequences will work out. I'm feeling pessimistic because these guys working their hearts out to make it happen aren't thinking about and talking to us about the potential for malicious misuse.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
crees! Avatar
109 months ago
He believes computers should log all aspects of our lives, allowing us to remember the people we've met and details about them, like favorite sports, family members, and name pronunciation.
No thank you. I've seen that particular episode of Black Mirror :eek:
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
farewelwilliams Avatar
109 months ago
and then there's bixby.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

maxresdefault

Where's the New Apple TV?

Monday December 22, 2025 11:30 am PST by
Apple hasn't updated the Apple TV 4K since 2022, and 2025 was supposed to be the year that we got a refresh. There were rumors suggesting Apple would release the new Apple TV before the end of 2025, but it looks like that's not going to happen now. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said several times across 2024 and 2025 that Apple would...
iPhone Top Left Hole Punch Face ID Feature Purple

iPhone 18 Pro Launching Next Year With These 12 New Features

Tuesday December 23, 2025 8:36 am PST by
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are not expected to launch for another nine months, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we have recapped 12 features rumored for the iPhone 18 Pro models. The same overall design is expected, with 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch display sizes, and a "plateau" housing three rear cameras Under-screen Face ID Front camera in...
maxresdefault

Hands-On With a Rough iPhone Fold Mockup

Monday December 29, 2025 10:55 am PST by
Apple is rumored to be introducing a foldable iPhone in September 2026, and since it will bring the biggest form factor change since the iPhone was introduced in 2007, curiosity about the design is high. A 3D designer created an iPhone Fold design based on rumors, and we printed it out to see how it compares to Apple's current iPhones. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more ...
iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Adds These 8 New Features to Your iPhone

Monday December 22, 2025 8:47 am PST by
Earlier this month, Apple released iOS 26.2, following more than a month of beta testing. It is a big update, with many new features and changes for iPhones. iOS 26.2 adds a Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics in Apple Music, and more. Below, we have highlighted a total of eight new features. Liquid Glass Slider on Lock Screen A new slider in the Lock...
apple intelligence black

Report: Apple's AI Strategy Could Finally Pay Off in 2026

Tuesday December 30, 2025 9:01 am PST by
Apple's restrained artificial intelligence strategy may pay off in 2026 amid the arrival of a revamped Siri and concerns around the AI market "bubble" bursting, The Information argues. The speculative report notes that Apple has taken a restrained approach with AI innovations compared with peers such as OpenAI, Google, and Meta, which are investing hundreds of billions of dollars in data...
airpods color prototypes

Apple Tested AirPods in Bright Colors

Saturday December 27, 2025 6:06 am PST by
Apple reportedly tested a version of the first-generation AirPods with bright, iPhone 5c-like colored charging cases. The images, shared by the Apple leaker and prototype collector known as "Kosutami," claim to show first-generation AirPods prototypes with pink and yellow exterior casings. The interior of the charging case and the earbuds themselves remain white. They seem close to some...
tesla red orange bg feature

Tesla Could Be Planning to Support Apple Car Keys

Sunday December 28, 2025 4:24 am PST by
Support for Apple Car Keys may now be more likely to come to Tesla vehicles, amid new evidence that the automaker is embracing native, system-level digital car keys. According to Not a Tesla App, 4.52.0 of Tesla's mobile app contains multiple code references to Harmony Wallet Key Cards. The discovery is notable because it represents a shift in how Tesla appears to be approaching mobile...
samsung glitter blue

Samsung's Year End Sale Introduces Major Discounts on Popular Monitors and TVs

Monday December 29, 2025 6:29 am PST by
Samsung kicked off a new end-of-the-year sale this week, introducing great deals on monitors, TVs, Galaxy smartphones, and home appliances. Many of these deals are the exact same all-time low prices we tracked during Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Samsung. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep ...