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Apple has taken a major step forward in its efforts to provide developers with cutting-edge artificial intelligence capabilities on devices. The tech giant recently released 20 new Core ML models and 4 datasets on Hugging Face, a leading community platform for sharing AI models and code. The move underscores Apple’s commitment to advancing artificial intelligence while prioritizing user privacy and efficiency.
Clement Delangue, co-founder and CEO of Hugging Face, emphasized the importance of this update in a statement sent to VentureBeat. “This is a major update by uploading many models to their Hugging Face repository with the Core ML framework,” said Delangue. “The update includes exciting new models focused on text and images, such as image classification or depth segmentation. Imagine an app that can effortlessly remove unwanted backgrounds from photos or instantly identify objects in front of you and provide their names in a foreign language.”
Optimized models for higher performance and privacy
Newly released Core ML models include a wide range of applications, including FastViT for image classification, DepthAnything for monocular depth estimation, and DETR for semantic segmentation. These models have been optimized to run exclusively on users’ devices, eliminating the need for a network connection. This approach not only increases application performance, but also ensures that user data remains secure and private.
Emphasizing the importance of on-device AI, Delangue said, “Core ML models run entirely on the user’s device, removing any need for network connectivity. This will keep your app blazing fast and user data private.”
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Collaboration with Hugging Face supports AI innovation
The release of these models and datasets on Hugging Face is a testament to Apple’s growing partnership with the AI community platform. In recent months, Apple has been actively working with Hugging Face to support various initiatives such as the MLX community and the integration of open-source AI into Apple Intelligence features.
Experts believe that Apple’s focus on on-device artificial intelligence is in line with a broader trend of moving computing power from the cloud to edge devices. By leveraging the capabilities of Apple Silicon and minimizing memory and power consumption, Core ML enables developers to create intelligent applications that provide a seamless user experience without compromising privacy or performance.
It enables developers to create smart, privacy-focused apps
As the demand for privacy-preserving and efficient AI solutions continues to grow, Apple’s latest move is expected to enable developers to create innovative applications in various domains, from image and video processing to natural language understanding and beyond. With the availability of these new Core ML models and datasets on Hugging Face, the AI community can further collaborate, iterate and push the boundaries of what is possible with AI on devices.
Apple’s commitment to improving AI while prioritizing user privacy sets a strong precedent for the industry. As more tech giants recognize the importance of AI on devices, we’re likely to see a surge in the development of privacy-focused smart apps that harness the power of local niche models to deliver transformative user experiences.