The MacRumors Show: AI Macs With M4 Chips

[MacRumors]

On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss the latest AI consumer technology and Apple's rumored plans to bring major AI-focused hardware enhancements to the Mac later this year.

Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel for more videos​

We talk through the response to Humane's AI Pin and its widely acknowledged deficiencies, such as its limited utility, subpar camera performance, and steep price point. We also take a look at the Rabbit R1, another AI device that prompts us to question the necessity of such hardware when similar functionalities could potentially be achieved with existing smartphones.

Apple is rumored to introduce M4-series custom silicon chips starting this year, featuring more powerful Neural Engines with more cores to support AI processes. These chips are likely based on the advancements coming to the iPhone 16 lineup's A18 chip, hinting that iPhone-exclusive AI features could later come to the Mac.

We also touch on the progress of AI tools in video editing software, including recent announcements from Adobe Premiere and DaVinci Resolve which have introduced new AI-driven editing features like generative fill and object removal. Such features could see enhanced performance on next-generation Macs with AI-focused chips. The MacRumors Show is now on its own YouTube channel, so make sure you're subscribed to keep up with new episodes and clips going forward:

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If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up for our chat with Matthew Cassinelli, one of the minds behind Workflow, discuss Apple Shortcuts and potential improvements and AI features coming to the app in iOS 18.

Subscribe to The MacRumors Show for new episodes every week, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by interesting guests such as Brian Tong, Quinn Nelson, Kevin Nether, Jared Nelson, Eli Hodapp, Luke Miani, Mike Bell, Sara Dietschy, iJustine, Jon Rettinger, Andru Edwards, Arnold Kim, Ben Sullins, Marcus Kane, Christopher Lawley, Frank McShan, David Lewis, Tyler Stalman, Jon Prosser, Sam Kohl, John Gruber, Federico Viticci, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, and Rene Ritchie.

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Article Link: The MacRumors Show: AI Macs With M4 Chips

 

[MacOH21]

My question is:

Will Apple call it an aiMac?

 

[ghanwani]

They've had the neural engine for a while. Just like CPU & GPU, naturally the neural engine gets beefier with each subsequent iteration of the chip.

 

[Mac Fly (film)]

Smartpins might be interesting if they worked very well... AND if smartwatches and smartphones didn't exist. They aren't going anywhere anytime soon, if ever.

 

[temende]

I predict the new AI features will be a huge upgrade supercycle for everyone who bought the first gen M1 chip. 4 years was a good run for the M1 but it's time for people to start upgrading.

 

[Motorola68000]

No doubt using Apple logic they will reduce the base configuration to 6Gb for AI allocation of RAM.

Is it worth them even bringing out more M3 products when they know the M3 has a security flaw?

Competition appears to be on Apple's heels with Qualcomm suggesting their new Snapdragon chip is faster than the M3.

 

[Octavius8]

What will be the use case for that silicon?. In real usage?. Like normal “non content creator” guys?

 

[Ursadorable]

Apple has a looooong way to go to catch up in AI. Their M3 Pro is pathetic for AI.

I'm speaking from experience.

 

[Harry Haller]

I predict the new AI features will be a huge upgrade supercycle for everyone who bought the first gen M1 chip. 4 years was a good run for the M1 but it's time for people to start upgrading.

Afternoon, Tim.

 

[Fuzzball84]

I think the lagging sales have meant Apple realised that AI was the only way they could compete with other companies and increase sales. Whether people benefit from it or not... that remains to be seen. It's a new chapter in personal computing, and we will all be along for the ride, whether we like it or not.

 

[anthogag]

The Humane AI pin is not humane if it sucks.

 

[maczaddy]

I have been waiting forever to get a new Mac since my last iMac 2013. I was finally going to do it when the M3 15 inch airs come out this year with 16 gigs of ram to future proof myself but should I wait another year for these AI Mac’s?

 

[Harry Haller]

I have been waiting forever to get a new Mac since my last iMac 2013. I was finally going to do it when the M3 15 inch airs come out this year with 16 gigs of ram to future proof myself but should I wait another year for these AI Mac’s?

No, you shouldn’t wait.

 

[SFjohn]

I have been waiting forever to get a new Mac since my last iMac 2013. I was finally going to do it when the M3 15 inch airs come out this year with 16 gigs of ram to future proof myself but should I wait another year for these AI Mac’s?

Definitely! 😉

 

[Motorola68000]

I have been waiting forever to get a new Mac since my last iMac 2013. I was finally going to do it when the M3 15 inch airs come out this year with 16 gigs of ram to future proof myself but should I wait another year for these AI Mac’s?

Rather than a definitive answer, it really depends on you and whether the device you have still performs adequately for your needs.

 

[AndiG]

What will be the use case for that silicon?. In real usage?. Like normal “non content creator” guys?

Just installed the latest llama3 70b LLM on my Linux workstation and it can hardly handle it.
AI cores are needed to run AI models and even more to train em.

 

[autistic-savant]

more...

 

[CharlieBoyWoof]

Smartpins might be interesting if they worked very well... AND if smartwatches and smartphones didn't exist. They aren't going anywhere anytime soon, if ever.

Depends if you're paid to wear one i guess.

 

[Mac Fly (film)]

Depends if you're paid to wear one i guess.

Wut?

 

[joekun]

When you discuss a new product, especially a non Apple product, on the show I think you should give a brief explanation of what it is. I’ve never hear of the Humane AI pin and after listening to you guys talk about it for 20 minutes while driving I still have no idea what it is. Obviously I’m going to look it up, but an explanation would be nice in these situations.

 

[einsteinbqat]

Not all that fussed about AI to be honest

 

[Fuzzball84]

Not all fussed about AI to be honest

It's the big thing... and I think it will have a huge impact... good and bad. The problem with this technology is that it will be open to so much abuse... way more than any other technical advancement we have had in decades.

We are getting to the stage where AI is starting to do things we would normally do and think for ourselves... the question is, do we want to go that route.. of not doing and thinking for ourselves like that?

 

[Motorola68000]

Too many are being taken in by the term AI, as if its something with consciousness when it isn't. Alan Turing first commented in the 1950's often using the term 'intelligent machinery'.

AI has been around for decades, and even now, the basis for it is stored human interaction and decision making, and can have the same human mistakes, as shown many times.

Even lauded as revolutionary in diagnostic X-rays it relies on input from countless medical practitioners, some right, some wrong, and whilst we celebrate currently the medical ailments picked up by AI, its worth noting that with regards for instance to cancers, its not so long ago that misdiagnosis of for example prostate cancer was shown to be giving false positives, where many were told they had cancer, but didn't, but the only time we realised that was after the event.

Yes, AI may offer opportunity, but not necessarily opportunity for everyone.

If you input multiple data sources, for example with regards to medical diagnosis, you will inevitably be including data from those who misdiagnosed in the first place.

We have a long long way to go before the term 'artificial' intelligence becomes intelligence!

Many suggest there will be no job losses from current AI, which is not the case, already within technology alone, jobs are being lost to AI, where for example 'narrative' creators and the gaming industry has seen multiple layoffs, and where its not just over hiring during lockdown that has caused it. Yes AI may be refined but it will take less people to refine even current AI than the number of personnel previously employed, but not necessarily producing a better product.

Even the Artificial intelligence is a misnomer really, as its neither artificial nor true intelligence, as otherwise it would not rely on massive data banks derived from PEOPLE.

Of course vested interest will tell us its the best thing since sliced bread, albeit its worth pointing out that most sliced bread is mass produced and often ultra processed and not that good for us.

I'm not a luddite as during my many years I've embraced technology and scientific advancement, and still will, but also during my many years I've seen a few people do very well in convincing others of the merits of this or that and for example the billions spent on the Millennium bug that was never going to be a real problem, and had such easy and cheap remedy, but politicians were convinced, rather like 'in the land of the blind the one eyed man is king', and some did really well financially, and I doubt 'AI' will be any different, unless of course we have consciousness in a truly intelligent computer, which is unlikely for the foreseeable future. Even quantum computing is unlikely to be anything like a sentient human being, and why should it when scientists don't even know how consciousness works.

Indeed Sir Roger Penrose, a polymath, has some very interesting ideas, and where newtonian physicists were very sceptical, as some of the quantum phenomena that Einstein referred to as 'spooky science', puts a lot of newtonian physics and theorems back in the melting pot.

When Stuart Hameroff and Sir Roger suggested that microtubules in the brain were capable of quantum function, it was roundly suggested to be wrong.....except of course that subsequently not only was it confirmed they were capable of quantum function but were in fact subject to quantum vibration raising multiple possibilities.

So we're a long way from solving human consciousness the basis for decision making that we make, let alone having artificial intelligence.

 

[Blue Nova]

When you discuss a new product, especially a non Apple product, on the show I think you should give a brief explanation of what it is. I’ve never hear of the Humane AI pin and after listening to you guys talk about it for 20 minutes while driving I still have no idea what it is. Obviously I’m going to look it up, but an explanation would be nice in these situations.

Me too, l listened to their show not knowing what Humane AI pin, then I found this, https://www.macrumors.com/2023/11/09/humane-ai-pin/
The problem with these two guys, their show is just a conversation between two guys, even through at the end of the show they asked if you have any questions or ideas for a show let us know in the comments, that was on the YouTube link. So I did, but didn’t not get any response. They only had 12 comments. You would think the least is to respond.

 

[einsteinbqat]

It's the big thing... and I think it will have a huge impact... good and bad. The problem with this technology is that it will be open to so much abuse... way more than any other technical advancement we have had in decades.

We are getting to the stage where AI is starting to do things we would normally do and think for ourselves... the question is, do we want to go that route.. of not doing and thinking for ourselves like that?

This is almost like Wall•E. Machines do the thinking, and humans too dumb to do anything anymore. LOL