Apple on Monday rolled out its first set of artificial intelligence features, dubbed “Apple Intelligence,” across its premium iPhone, iPad, and Mac devices, marking the tech giant’s major push into generative AI.

The release, first previewed by the company in June, marks Apple’s foray into an AI race that has seen the US tech giants rush into ChatGPT-style technology.

Google, Microsoft, Amazon and Apple are convinced that generative AI’s powers are the next chapter of computing and have ramped up spending so as not to be left behind.

“Apple Intelligence is generative AI in a way that only Apple can deliver, and we’re incredibly excited about its ability to enrich our users’ lives,” Apple CEO Tim Cook said in a blog post.

Apple’s new features include enhanced writing tools, improved photo searching capabilities, and a more conversational Siri virtual assistant.

The company also plans to integrate ChatGPT’s capabilities into its services by December.

Additional features planned for December include the ability to generate custom emoji and create images from text descriptions.

The features are largely being limited to the latest iPhones and iPads as well as Mac computers.

The powers of Apple Intelligence are for now only available in US English.

Versions in Chinese, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Korean and other languages will be released in the coming year.

At the launch event in June, Apple had postponed the launch of Apple Intelligence in the European Union indefinitely, due to “regulatory uncertainties” linked to new laws.

It now said that most offerings will be available in the EU on Mac computers in US English and will begin to be deployed on iPhones and iPads from April.

Apple Intelligence features also include system-wide writing tools that can rewrite and proofread text, and the ability to remove unwanted objects from images.

Overall, the features are similar to tools recently released by Meta, Microsoft and Google.

Amid concerns about the safety of AI models, the company said that its technology prioritizes user privacy by keeping processing on-device or by using a new “Private Cloud” system.

This, the company says, will keep personal data within the Apple ecosystem, which privileges data privacy.

Apple also unveiled a new desktop computer, the iMac, on Monday, that features Apple Intelligence.

TikTok said it removed over 2.1 million videos in Nigeria in the second quarter of 2024 for violating its community guidelines.

According to the Community Guidelines Enforcement Report shared on Tuesday, Tiktok said the action is part of the company’s ongoing efforts to enhance content moderation and create a safer platform for users.

“Key findings show that 99.1 per cent of these videos were proactively removed before users reported them, with 90.7 per cent taken down within 24 hours. These figures highlight TikTok’s commitment to staying ahead of harmful content, ensuring a safer platform for Nigerian users,” the report noted.

The affected videos represent less than 1 per cent of the total uploads in Nigeria during the reporting period.

Globally, TikTok said it removed over 178 million videos in June 2024, with 144 million of those removals facilitated through automated systems.

“With a proactive detection rate now at 98.2 per cent globally, TikTok is more efficient than ever at addressing harmful content before users encounter it,” the short-form mobile video platform stated.

It, however, assured that it would continue to invest in technologies aimed at improving content moderation and understanding potential risks.

It also reinforced its dedication to transparency and platform safety for its diverse user base in Nigeria and worldwide.

Meta launched AI chatbots voiced by Hollywood celebrities including Judi Dench and John Cena on Wednesday, betting its billions of users are eager to embrace artificial intelligence.

At the company’s annual product launch event, CEO Mark Zuckerberg also unveiled a prototype of normal-looking augmented reality glasses, which he hopes can one day replace smartphones.

Social media giant Meta is banking on AI and virtual and augmented reality applications to diversify its revenue streams.

However, the company has yet to convince investors of the need to shift from its highly profitable advertising-based model.

“I think voice has the potential to be one of, if not the most frequent way, that we interact with AI,” Zuckerberg said, demonstrating a conversation with an AI version of performer Awkwafina.

“It is just a lot better,” he said.

This launch follows OpenAI’s controversial ChatGPT voice feature, which drew criticism for its similarity to actress Scarlett Johansson’s voice.

Meta has secured permission from the celebrities featured in its voice tool, which will be available on Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp.

However, due to EU data protection laws, Meta AI will not be accessible in Europe.

Meta’s AI relies on data from its platforms’ legions of users, a practice that in Europe would potentially violate data privacy laws.

Meta AI, similar to ChatGPT or Google’s Gemini, is an assistant that answers questions, creates images, writes messages, and even provides companionship.

The company reports that more than 400 million people already use Meta AI monthly, aiming to make it “the most widely used AI assistant by year-end.”

Critics note, however, that many users may encounter Meta’s AI unintentionally, as it can be easily mistaken for search functions on WhatsApp and Instagram.

– ‘Big hurdle’ –

Competition in the AI field is fierce, with Google and Microsoft leading in productivity features and Apple entering the market with AI-capable iPhones.

These developments require substantial resources, impacting company budgets significantly.

Despite concerns about heavy AI and VR spending, Meta’s profits and share price have soared due to strong advertising results on Facebook and Instagram.

Analyst Carolina Milanesi of Creative Strategies noted that “when I think about AI, Meta is not necessarily the first brand that comes to mind. And their biggest hurdle is going to be privacy and trust.”

Meta hopes to change perceptions with its new AR glasses, called Orion.

These glasses resemble thick-rimmed reading glasses but can display holographic text messages and apps, and place video calls in the user’s field of vision.

The release of the product is still years away, but Zuckerberg sees it as a potential hands-free alternative to smartphones.

The company is also doubling down on its Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses that serve as earphones, take pictures and video, and will soon feature live translation, the company said.

Apple has issued another round of spyware warnings to iPhone users in 98 countries this week. This comes just three months after a similar alert in April, marking the second notification of its kind this year.

On Wednesday, numerous iPhone users reported receiving these warnings and shared their experiences along with screenshots on social media.

“Apple detected that you are being targeted by a mercenary spyware attack that is trying to remotely compromise the iPhone associated with your Apple ID,” read the notifications sent from threats-notification@apple.com. “This attack is likely targeting you specifically because of who you are or what you do. Although it’s never possible to achieve absolute certainty when detecting such attacks, Apple has high confidence in this warning — please take it seriously.”

Apple has been issuing these types of warnings since 2021, but the term “mercenary spyware attacks” has become more common in recent notifications. Previous alerts from Apple described these threats as “state-sponsored,” a term that no longer appears in the latest warnings.

The latest notifications seem to have primarily targeted individuals in journalism and news media, based on social media posts from those affected. Apple’s message underscores the importance of the warnings due to the specific nature of the attacks and the professional roles of the targets.

The April notification and the recent alert reflect a growing concern over the use of sophisticated spyware aimed at specific individuals. Apple’s continued vigilance in sending these warnings highlights the persistent threat such spyware poses to iPhone users worldwide.

Apple urges recipients of these warnings to take them seriously and consider the security measures available to protect their devices and personal information. This includes keeping iOS updated, using strong passwords, and being cautious of unsolicited messages and links.

Apple and Google have introduced a new tool that allows users to transfer their photo and video collections directly from Google Photos to iCloud Photos. This new feature completes the reciprocal data transfer capabilities between the two platforms, having already supported transfers from iCloud Photos to Google Photos. The rollout of this tool is expected to be completed over the next week.

The new transfer tool is powered by the open-source Data Transfer Project technology, which ensures that the transfer process maintains high standards of data integrity and security. This technology aligns data models and authentication processes, making the transfer of personal media collections seamless and reliable.

The introduction of this tool marks a significant step forward in data portability, a feature that users have come to expect from major tech services. By providing an easy and trustworthy method to move media between Google Photos and iCloud Photos, Apple and Google are enhancing the user experience and ensuring that personal data can be transferred without loss of quality or security.

This development is part of a broader effort by both companies to improve data transfer capabilities and user control over personal data. As they continue to expand these features, users can look forward to more flexible and secure options for managing their digital media collections.

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NiTDA) has warned users of Android phones in Nigeria to beware of opening malicious apps.

NiTDA issued this warning in a statement on Tuesday, adding that these apps can compromise the security of users’ devices.

“ANDROID USERS, BEWARE! Some malicious applications have been found to contain malware capable of giving attackers control over Android devices,” the statement read.

“This malware can compromise your device’s security, leading to activities such as information theft, cryptojacking (unauthorised crypto mining) and surveillance (spying on your activities).”

On the impact of such apps, NiTDA warned that once installed, the malware executes and uses WebView to launch URLs to either YouTube or a mobile gaming site named CrazyGames.com.

In the background, it said the malware abuses its permission to access locations, SMS messages, contacts, call logs, make phone calls, take screenshots and record audio and video.

“Additionally, the malware degrades performance, causing the device to slow down or freeze occasionally,” it said.

“The following are known applications carrying malware: crazy game, sexy videos, Tik Toks and weapons.”

On how to protect their devices and personal data, NiTDA urged Android users to be cautious when downloading apps and also keep their software up to date.

“Preventive Measures: Avoid downloading the applications listed above and also apps from unofficial sources,” NiTDA warned.

“Ensure your mobile device is up to date with the latest security patches. Let’s stay vigilant together and be cautious of suspicious links or attachments in emails or messages.”

The agency added that for further enquiries, the public should contact CERRT.NG through the following channels: Email: cerrt@nitda.gov.ng; Phone: +2348178774580 and Web: www.cerrt ng.