The Year of Artificial Intelligence: How ChatGPT, Gemini, Apple Intelligence, and Others Transformed Everything in 2024.
The highlighted year for artificial intelligence.
Last year, artificial intelligence seemed to be omnipresent in various forms, but that was just a glimpse of how it has burst into people's lives, for better or for worse. It would take an entire set of books to cover every transformative advancement, brilliant launch, and embarrassing stumble from major AI brands like OpenAI's ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Apple Intelligence, not to mention all the AI developers. Nevertheless, there are some key moments that are important to remember before 2025 changes the landscape once again.
A central player in the development of artificial intelligence during 2024 has been ChatGPT. OpenAI set out to remain in the spotlight, continuously launching significant updates. In May, the GPT-4o model was introduced, which, alongside the more optimized GPT-4o, marked the beginning of ChatGPT's multimodal evolution, capable of handling text, images, audio, and video. The arrival of the o1 model in December elevated reasoning capabilities, offering sharper and more insightful responses, becoming a valuable tool for coding challenges and creative brainstorming.
Moreover, ChatGPT launched the Advanced Voice Mode, which brought more realistic voice interactions, including voices like Santa’s. If interaction through the app was not possible, OpenAI established a toll-free helpline, 1-800-CHATGPT. Throughout the year, filmmakers eagerly awaited the release of Sora, OpenAI’s model for creating animated videos, which is now accessible to creators and marketers.
Creative collaboration was also a key focus with ChatGPT's Canvas Mode, which allows for real-time project work with the AI. To better organize information, OpenAI introduced the Projects feature, which helps group conversations and files. All of this was complemented by the "12 Days of OpenAI" event, where daily updates were launched, including integration with WhatsApp and a monthly subscription level for ChatGPT Pro.
Meanwhile, Google introduced Gemini, which emerged following the rebranding of Bard in February. Aiming to surpass OpenAI, Google worked on integrating AI into all its applications. A new Gemini app for Android and an advanced subscription level were launched. In May, Gemini 1.5 improved processing capabilities and understanding of complex queries. During the summer, Gemini's intelligence began to integrate into Google Home devices, replacing Google Assistant in more contexts.
In September, Gemini Live was introduced, allowing real-time conversations with AI, and in December, Gemini 2.0 was launched, an update that offers quicker responses, photo analysis, and exclusive features for Google Pixel phones.
In Apple's realm, plans regarding its AI had been rumored for years, but it was in 2024 that Apple Intelligence was officially introduced. At this event, it was revealed that the voice assistant Siri would leverage ChatGPT technologies to provide more accurate answers. While Apple primarily aims to match or surpass Google and OpenAI, its approach differs by using Apple hardware to process AI locally, prioritizing speed and privacy.
While OpenAI, Google, and Apple dominated the headlines, other major brands like Meta also made significant contributions. Meta launched its virtual assistant Meta AI, integrating it into platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, and enhancing its capabilities throughout the year. Additionally, the company is preparing for the next year to be the year of smart glasses with AI technology.
Though not all AI devices succeeded, 2024 demonstrated that artificial intelligence has surpassed the novelty phase and has entered our lives as a large-scale revolution. ChatGPT, Gemini, and Apple Intelligence have shown what AI can achieve, and the challenge for the coming year will be to assess which of those capabilities we truly want it to do for us.
