Apple Abandons Electric Car Project, Pivots to Generative AI

Feb 27, 2024 09:36 PM EST

(Photo : PEXELS/Armand Valendez)

Amidst much anticipation, Apple's venture into the realm of electric cars, commonly referred to as the Apple Car, represents a significant endeavor. The project involves a dedicated team of numerous Apple employees striving to bring forth an innovative electric vehicle tailored for consumers. However, Apple enthusiasts will have to let go of their dream owning such car.

Apple drops its electric car project, replacing its focus on Generative AI.

Electric Car Project Dies, Apple Turns to Generative AI

Apple has decided to halt its pursuit of developing electric vehicles (EV) after approximately ten years since initial rumors surfaced regarding the iPhone maker's involvement in the project. Throughout its duration, the endeavor, which reportedly engaged a workforce of around two thousand individuals, had not been officially acknowledged by the company.

According to the BBC's report, the team responsible for the Apple car project was allegedly referred to as the Special Projects Group (SPG) and was believed to be considerably distant from achieving a vehicle production milestone. In response to inquiries, Apple did not provide an immediate comment to the BBC.

Additionally, the reported cited Bloomberg News stating that a significant number of personnel involved in the project are expected to transition to the artificial intelligence (AI) division within the iPhone maker's organization.

Meanwhile as reported in Engadget, in light of this transition, Apple is set to reassign "numerous employees involved in the car project" to the company's artificial intelligence division, where their focus will shift towards generative AI initiatives. This strategic move, highlighted in a statement by CEO Tim Cook during the recent earnings call, aligns with Apple's intention to delve deeper into generative AI projects, with further details anticipated to be disclosed later this year.

It's worth noting that the car team encompassed a substantial number of hardware engineers and car designers, some of whom, as per Bloomberg's report, may have the opportunity to pursue roles in other divisions within the company. However, it's expected that the remaining individuals may face potential layoffs.

Despite the internal codename "Project Titan," Apple has maintained a public silence regarding its endeavors in vehicle development, although leaks over time have unveiled the company's aspirations to venture into an entirely new product category.

As shared in ZD Net, Apple's AI division is headed by John Giannandrea, a prominent Apple leader who has dedicated his efforts to advancing generative AI initiatives in recent years. This includes the creation of sophisticated large language model applications (LLMs) such as AI chatbots, exemplified by the innovative ChatGPT.

Apple Car Project

Apple started its vision and work on the electric car market in 2014. The business dedicated a large amount of money to the development of completely autonomous vehicles in addition to electric vehicles. Despite its conspicuous absence from the recent surge in generative AI breakthroughs with the launch of ChatGPT, Apple is apparently building the foundation for its own AI chatbot.

This is known internally as Apple GPT, built on a unique foundational model. While Apple has maintained a low profile regarding the integration of generative AI into its products, there are expectations of potential genAI features being unveiled at the upcoming WWDC in June.