Apple AI Expert Says Computers Should Augment Human Capabilities - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

Apple AI Expert Says Computers Should Augment Human Capabilities

Apple product designer and Siri co-founder Tom Gruber gave a TED Talk today, where he covered his vision of the future of computers and artificial intelligence. Both Axios and Business Insider shared details on his talk.

macossierraphotosmemories
According to Gruber, computers should be used to lessen human failings, like memory, and augment human capabilities. He believes computers should log every aspect of our lives, allowing us to remember every person we've met and every aspect about them, like favorite sports, family members, and name pronunciation.

"I believe AI will make personal memory enhancement a reality. I think it's inevitable," he said onstage, adding that he doesn't know when or how it will happen. [...]

Gruber imagines that this kind of technology will not only be useful for satisfying data geeks who want to optimize their health and happiness, but it could also assist those who suffer from diseases like dementia and schizophrenia. "It's the difference between a life of isolation and one of dignity and connection," he said.

Privacy, is of course, a key part of artificial intelligence and future computing capabilities. "We get to choose what is and is not recalled," said Gruber. "It's absolutely essential that this be kept very secure."

Apple has already taken the first steps towards linking artificial intelligence and memory, with its Photos app. Photos on Mac and iOS devices includes a "Memories" feature that intelligently organizes photos into dynamic events that can be relived through the app. It also incorporates facial recognition and deep levels of privacy - facial recognition features are not cross-device and do not sync over iCloud.

Gruber also highlighted other useful applications for artificial intelligence, like cancer detection and more advanced personal assistants like Siri.

Popular Stories

iOS 27 on iPhone 17 1

Apple to Unveil iOS 27 in June With These New Features Beyond Siri

Friday April 17, 2026 8:40 am PDT by
Apple is expected to unveil iOS 27 during its WWDC 2026 keynote on June 8, and the update should be released in September. Below, we outline some of the new features that are rumored to be coming with iOS 27, beyond the long-awaited more personalized version of Siri. iOS 27 will reportedly support 5G satellite internet connectivity, although this functionality might be limited to the...
Sad Siri Feature

Siri Engineers Sent to AI Coding Bootcamp as Apple Prepares to Deliver Siri Overhaul

Wednesday April 15, 2026 1:19 pm PDT by
Apple is sending a large portion of its Siri engineers to a multi-week bootcamp to learn to code using AI, reports The Information. Apple's decision to teach its programmers to better use AI for coding comes just two months before Apple is expected to unveil a smarter, more capable version of Siri at WWDC. While employees attend the coding bootcamp, around 60 members of the Siri development...
wwdc 2026 horizontal

WWDC 2026 Graphic Teases Major iOS 27 Feature

Sunday April 19, 2026 3:02 pm PDT by
Apple's WWDC 2026 graphic provides "a glimpse of the revamped Siri interface coming in iOS 27," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said iOS 27 will include a new Siri interface in the Dynamic Island. When you trigger Siri, he said the Dynamic Island will show a "Search or Ask" prompt, and this will apparently be accompanied by a "glowing cursor"...

Top Rated Comments

AngerDanger Avatar
118 months ago
Apple AI Expert [Tom Gruber] Says Computers Should Augment Human Failings
Augment • verb To make (something) greater by adding to it.



Attachment Image
Score: 34 Votes (Like | Disagree)
118 months ago
S1E3 of Black Mirror, anybody?
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
anshuvorty Avatar
118 months ago
He believes computers should log every aspect of our lives, allowing us to remember every person we've met and every aspect about them, like favorite sports, family members, and name pronunciation.
I have a problem with this blanket statement. There is a reason we forget things - it's to prevent things like depression and sadness. If we were able to remember every.single.thing. about every single person in our lives, it would be a mess.

IMHO, it is good that we forget some things and if we allow computers to remember everything about every person we met, instead of selectively choosing, by our own accord and powers, life would become even more difficult and chaotic than it already is.

Just my 2 cents...
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Naraxus Avatar
118 months ago
He believes computers should log every aspect of our lives, allowing us to remember every person we've met and every aspect about them, like favorite sports, family members, and name pronunciation.
Yeah no. Not a chance in hell.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
118 months ago
Maybe he should start with just addressing Siri's failings.

And I know some people will hate me for saying it, but also Tim's failings!
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
118 months ago
I'm gonna go ahead and pass. If someone doesn't remember me... I don't need to remember them... If I don't remember them... Then I don't care enough...
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Related Apple News: Culture | Motoring | Iphone | Sport | Technology