Putting aside all of the consumer electronics that giants like Apple ($AAPL), LG, Samsung, Google, and Amazon make and sell today, if you ask anyone who knows anything about the future of the technology sector, they will tell you that the big companies of today will still be around tomorrow because of artificial intelligence.
While almost anyone can make the next iPhone hardware, the difference will be found in how the next iPhone behaves, predicts a user's needs, and adjusts based on context. Today, this mostly comes from clever software programming and low-level artificial intelligence that uses fuzzy logic to handle predictions. In the future, our technology will behave more like a human brain utilizing neural networks and what are called deep belief networks.
But, first, those neural, deep-belief networks must be taught how to behave. That's where deep learning comes in. And Apple is slowly, quietly building its deep-learning team.
The graph below is a representation of job listings at Apple with the term "Deep Learning" in their titles.
As you can see, "deep learning" openings at Apple have begun to appear as the company looks to move from basic digital-assistant technology like Siri into developing artificial intelligence that will do everything from recognize images to speech to making contextual recommendations.
As of today, Apple's careers site shows 7 "deep learning"-related openings (the detailed list can be found here):
|
As Of Date |
Title |
Category |
City |
Country |
Posted Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
20180814 |
Deep Learning Engineer - Deformable Object Tracking |
Hardware Engineering |
Munich |
DEU |
20180611 |
|
20180814 |
ACG - Machine Learning R&D Engineer (Deep Learning Specialist) |
Software Engineering |
Portland |
USA |
20180416 |
|
20180814 |
Deep Learning Engineer - Deformable Object Tracking |
Hardware Engineering |
Santa Clara Valley |
USA |
20180622 |
|
20180814 |
Deep Learning Software Engineer |
Hardware Engineering |
Santa Clara Valley |
USA |
20180507 |
|
20180814 |
Deep Learning Engineer - Technology Development Group |
Hardware Engineering |
Santa Clara Valley |
USA |
20180628 |
|
20180814 |
Deep Learning Engineer - Technology Development Group |
Hardware Engineering |
Santa Clara Valley |
USA |
20180621 |
|
20180814 |
Camera & Photos - CVML Deep Learning Research Engineer |
Software Engineering |
Santa Clara Valley |
USA |
20180712 |
When looking at all "deep learning" positions posted by Apple since 2016, we get a more rounded picture of the team the company is putting together, and it's quite fascinating:
|
Title |
City |
|---|---|
|
ACG - Machine Learning R&D Engineer (Deep Learning Specialist) |
Portland |
|
ACG : Machine Learning R&D Engineer (Deep Learning Specialist) |
Portland |
|
Camera & Photos - Computer Vision Researcher - Deep Learning Imaging |
Santa Clara Valley |
|
Camera & Photos - CVML Deep Learning Research Engineer |
Santa Clara Valley |
|
Camera & Photos - CVML, Deep Learning Research Engineer |
Santa Clara Valley |
|
Camera & Photos - CVML, Mobile Deep Learning Performance Engineer |
Santa Clara Valley |
|
Camera & Photos - Mobile Deep Learning Performance Engineer |
Santa Clara Valley |
|
Camera & Photos, CVML - Mobile Deep Learning Performance Eng. |
Santa Clara Valley |
|
Computer Vision and Deep Learning Researcher - Imaging & Vision Technologies |
Santa Clara Valley |
|
CVML - Mobile Deep Learning Performance Engineer |
Santa Clara Valley |
|
Deep Learning Data Engineer - Technology Development Group |
Santa Clara Valley |
|
Deep Learning Engineer - Technology Development Group |
Santa Clara Valley |
|
Deep Learning Engineer - Technology Investigation |
Santa Clara Valley |
|
Deep Learning Engineer - Deformable Object Tracking |
Munich |
|
Deep Learning Engineer - Deformable Object Tracking |
Santa Clara Valley |
|
Deep Learning Software Engineer |
Santa Clara Valley |
|
Deep Learning Specialist |
Santa Clara Valley |
|
Senior Software Engineer, Deep Learning |
Santa Clara Valley |
|
Software Engineer - Perception/Deep Learning |
Zurich |
Apple has posted roughly 19 iterations of "deep learning" positions. We say "roughly" because while the above positions are straight from Apple's careers site where multiple spelling iterations and re-listings can (and do) occur.
That said, the grouped list includes machine learning specialists looking to teach Apple artificial intelligence everything from image recognition and tracking to understanding and perception.
It's impossible to say for sure what Apple has planned when it comes to its AI of the future, but one thing is certain: the company is already busy building a stable of experts to assure there's a future at all.