Generative AI is poised to continue its dominance in the coming year
This year has seen rapid advancements and applications of Artificial Intelligence (AI), particularly in the realm of Generative AI, and this will persist as a prominent trend in the months to come.
The utilisation of AI gained momentum and a wider public following after OpenAI’s launch of GPT-4 in March and is currently the most potent AI model accessible to the public, reportedly outperforming 90% of students taking the bar exam. This powerful AI model adeptly simplifies intricate concepts into easily understandable language. In September, OpenAI further bolstered its AI model by enabling users to interact with it through voice commands and use images as input. This updated version labelled GPT-4V can verbally describe image contents in natural language.
AI has become an indispensable tool across various sectors, from healthcare and finance to manufacturing and retail. AI-powered applications streamline tasks, enhance decision-making, and personalise user experiences. Businesses are integrating generative AI to automate a multitude of operational tasks. For instance, AI models generate images, codes, apps, designs, and even music.
Despite a level of disquiet in some quarters, Generative AI’s evolution will continue, granting machines greater capacity to produce even more realistic and imaginative content. This progression could significantly impact a broad spectrum of industries, spanning advertising, marketing, product design, and entertainment.
The year 2023 also saw the burgeoning growth of the metaverse, uniting an array of next-generation technologies from cloud computing to AI, blockchain, cryptocurrencies, cybersecurity, the Internet of Things (IoT), virtual reality, and augmented reality. Cloud computing has emerged as the preferred model for businesses of all sizes, offering enhanced efficiency, agility, and cost savings by enabling data and application access from anywhere. Additionally, these networks contribute to the metaverse’s expansion.
Meanwhile, Blockchain technology, the foundational mechanism behind cryptocurrencies, is finding applications beyond finance. Its ability to furnish secure and immutable records is being explored in supply chain management, healthcare data management, and other domains.
The past 12 months have also witnessed the global deployment of 5G, the fifth generation of cellular network technology, presenting significantly enhanced speeds, lower latency, and greater capacity than its predecessors. This advancement enables novel applications such as self-driving cars, augmented reality, and virtual reality.
The rising popularity of the metaverse is spurring the development of virtual reality headsets, among them Meta Quest Pro, Microsoft HaloLens 2, and Apple Vision Pro.
The Meta Quest Pro, tailored for professional use, boasts improved resolution, field of view, and comfort, making it ideal for training, simulations, and collaborative experiences.
Microsoft’s HaloLens 2, designed for enterprise use, incorporates enhanced field of view, hand tracking, and mixed reality capabilities, serving as a potent tool for visualisation, training, and collaboration. Apple’s Vision Pro, anticipated to hit shelves early next year, is equipped with micro-OLED displays, a dozen cameras, six microphones, five sensors, and a new Apple-designed R1 chip. Notably, the headset supports gesture controls, allowing wearers to navigate using their eyes, hands, and voice, along with an external screen showing users’ eyes for communication outside the virtual world.
2023 also marked another pivotal computing phase with Apple’s release of its new M3 processors. Based on 3-nanometre technology, these chips represent the next leap forward in semiconductor manufacturing, promising significant improvements in performance, power efficiency, and transistor density compared to previous generations.
Apple unveiled its M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max at the end of October, featuring architectural enhancements to the performance and efficiency cores, with the performance cores demonstrating up to 30% faster speed compared to those in the M1 family.
As Apple introduced its 3nm chips, its competitor Intel Corporation continued utilising 10nm enhanced technology in its latest Intel Gen14 processors. The new M3 chips now power Apple’s new MacBook Pro series of laptop computers and the new iMac desktop series.
In 2023, much like every year, smartphone rivals Apple and Samsung went up against each other with their latest smartphone models, leveraging cutting-edge technologies in chips, displays, and cameras. Their flagship models, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max, hit the markets in February and September, respectively.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max operates on Apple’s A17 Pro chip, utilising 3nm process technology, marking it as the first widely accessible 3nm chip in the market. Apple captivated its audience by employing space-grade titanium for the chassis of the iPhone 15, adding to its allure.
Conversely, the Galaxy S23 Ultra runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4nm) chip, showcasing a sharper and larger display at 6.8 inches with a resolution of 1440x3088 pixels compared to the iPhone 15 Pro Max's 6.7 inches and 1290x2796 pixels. The S23 Ultra also features a 200-megapixel resolution for its main camera, surpassing the 48 MP of the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
With computer chips shrinking, AI models strengthening, internet connections accelerating, and virtual reality experiencing wider deployment and use, we can all look forward to a multitude of exciting products and innovations in the year to come.
