Home Robotics May Be Apple’s Next Big Project
- Written by Elijah Ugoh Cybersecurity & Tech Writer
- Fact-Checked by Kate Hawkins Former Editor
Apple is reportedly venturing into the development of personal home robots after discontinuing its electric vehicle project, according to a Bloomberg report last Wednesday.
Engineers at Apple have been exploring the concept of a home robot capable of following people around their residences. Part of this would apparently also involve a device the company’s also been working on that would control a display’s movement using robotics.
While it was forced to scale back on its ambitious electric vehicle project, codenamed “Project Titan,” just last February, the company faces pressure to find new ways to make money. This new initiative marks one way it may be planning to expand into new product markets.
The electric car project, which garnered significant attention since its inception in 2014, failed mostly because of internal disagreements over the direction of the Apple car, The New York Times reported . In recent years, the tech giant has focused on other products and services like the Apple Watch, Vision Pro virtual reality headset, and now, Personal Home Robots.
The home robot project is still in its initial research and development phase, but it is part of Apple’s larger goal of exploring artificial intelligence and machine learning groups to grow its product catalog.
The Business Times reports that Apple is currently hiring for robotics-related roles as it’s trying to expand the teams working on the robotics project. The description of one of the new roles on Apple’s site reads,
“Our team works at the intersection of modern machine learning and robotics to shape the AI that will power the next generation of Apple products…We are looking for innovative and hardworking ML and robotics researchers and engineers that help us research, define, and develop complex intelligent robotic systems and experiences in the real world,” as quoted by Bloomberg.
Spotify Announces New AI-Generated Playlist Feature
- Written by Deep Shikha Content Writer
- Fact-Checked by
According to Spotify, creating a new playlist with this feature is easy. Simply type something like “Road Trip Through the 80s” into the text box, and Spotify’s advanced personalization technology, combined with AI, will take care of the rest.
Prompts can include a variety of themes, such as places, animals, activities, movie characters, colors, or emojis. Spotify also suggested that the best playlists are created by combining genres, moods, artists, and decades in your prompts.
After creating a playlist, it can be adjusted by giving commands such as “add more rock” or “make it calmer.” Also, songs can be deleted from the playlist by swiping left.
To access the AI Playlist option:
- Open the Spotify mobile app and go to “Your Library” at the bottom-right corner of your screen.
- Tap the “+” button at the top-right corner and select “AI Playlist.”
- Choose one of the suggested prompts or type in your own. For example, try “lifting music for Impressionist inspirations” or “tracks about sunset romance.”
- Wait while Spotify processes your prompt and suggests tracks that match your desired vibe.
- Preview and delete tracks to manage your song selection. If you have preferences, let the AI Playlist know (e.g., “more recent”).
- Once you’re satisfied, tap “Create.” Your new playlist will automatically be saved in Your Library.
Spotify says it uses large language models (LLMs) to understand what the user wants, reported TechCrunch . It combines this with data about the user’s listening history and preferences to create a personalized AI-generated playlist.
In February 2023, Spotify introduced the AI DJ feature , which merges artificial intelligence with its music curation algorithm to deliver a personalized listening experience. It generates new and familiar playlists based on listening habits, preferences, and time of day. This feature is still available but not as similar to the new AI-generated playlist feature as it sounds.
According to The Verge , the AI playlist feature is much more helpful than Spotify’s AI DJ. It works well and is much quicker than manually creating playlists. It also helps users discover new music based on their preferences.
The Verge stated AI Playlists won’t work for non-music prompts like current events or brand names. In addition, there are measures to prevent offensive prompts. Also, the introduction of the new AI Playlist feature could potentially lead to upcoming price increases from Spotify .
