Apple postpones the launch of its new system based on generative artificial intelligence in the European Union

Apple announced on Friday that it has indefinitely postponed the launch of its new system based on generative artificial intelligence in European Union countries due to "regulatory concerns" related to the Digital Markets Law, according to a company spokeswoman.

The group expressed its concern, in particular, regarding the obligations established in the Digital Markets Law in terms of interoperability, considering that these rules, which allow communication between different platforms and messaging systems, could pose a threat to the security and protection of personal data.

At the beginning of June this year, Apple announced its new "Apple Intelligence" system, which aims to improve the use of its various devices, from iPhone to Mac, thanks to generative artificial intelligence.

Generative artificial intelligence makes it possible to create content in the form of text, images or sound based on a simple request in everyday language, or to obtain detailed answers to questions.

One of the most prominent features of the new system will allow users to create their own emoticons, create summaries of messages in their email inbox, or find a picture in their albums by verbally describing it.

With this system, the Cupertino company is attempting to catch up in the field of generative artificial intelligence, after rival companies beat it to the punch months ago by offering products that integrate this technology into their systems.

During the presentation of Apple Intelligence, Apple highlighted the system's ability to provide security, which has been one of the company's pillars for decades.

The owner of an iPhone equipped with Apple Intelligence will be able to benefit from the capabilities of remote servers (cloud computing), not just the capabilities of his smartphone, without this leading to the storage of his data or allowing others to use it.

The Digital Markets Act, which came into force at the beginning of March last year, is designed to force technology giants to open up to competition.

The law specifically targets Apple, which will be forced to allow the installation of application stores other than the Apple Store on the devices it produces.

An Apple spokeswoman said: "We are concerned that the interoperability obligations imposed by the Digital Markets Act may force us to compromise the integrity of our products in a way that threatens the security and privacy of data."

She added that as a result, the company "will not be able to make three features available to users in the European Union this year," most notably Apple Intelligence.

The delay also affects the ability to display an iPhone screen image on another device, or to share the contents of the screen with someone during an online conversation.