Apple says Generative AI is app ‘Trend of the Year’

Apple has announced the winners of the 2023 App Store Awards, declaring Generative AI its “trend of the year”.

Bringing visions to life

“It’s inspiring to see the ways developers continue to build incredible apps and games that are redefining the world around us,” said Apple CEO, Tim Cook.

“This year’s winners represent the limitless potential of developers to bring their visions to life, creating apps and games with remarkable ingenuity, exceptional quality, and purpose-driven missions.”

Apple also mentioned the many virtues of the app store and the global economic opportunity it provides.

Not only is it the world’s safest and oldest app marketplace with 650 million weekly visitors, but it also facilitated $1.1 trillion in developer billings and sales in 2022. In other words, the store already makes a significant global economic contribution.

Generative AI is Trend of the Year

You only need to look at the increasing degrees of censorship across the growing number of authoritarian nations to recognize that art reflects life – if it didn’t, it wouldn’t get censored.

Apple argues that apps are also creative, and as such also reflect culture. This year it says: “Generative AI captured user’s collective imagination with its evolution unfolding in real time.”

Apple then explains how many apps have begun to integrate AI, adding:

“Although many features are still in their infancy, they gave users a chance to see, first-hand, the technology in action and come to their own conclusions about the benefits and risks.”

The App Store editors have chosen to champion a handful of apps wielding Generative AI. A post on the App Store talks about apps such as ChatGPT, Canva, Picsart, Pinterest, Craft, Artifact, Sololearn, and SmartDreams.

The post also reveals a little of how Apple looks at the tech, at least right now.

“There are important caveats,” it warns. “LLM’s sometimes…present inaccurate information as fact… and even though safeguards are in place, the tech can produce offensive or socially insensitive replies.”

Amen to that.

The 2023 App Store Awards

This year’s winners include:

• AllTrails nurtures community through comprehensive trail guides and outdoor exploration for everyone.
• Prêt-à-Makeup offers a true-to-life makeup sketchpad on iPad for professional artists and casual users, while fostering inclusivity and self-expression.
• Photomator’s machine learning-powered tools make advanced editing tasks streamlined and seamless.
• MUBI curates exceptional indie films and international documentaries with a human touch.
• SmartGym  with its comprehensive library of exercises, routines, and robust fitness reporting.
• Honkai: Star Rail brings tactically rich combat on iPhone.
• Lost in Play invites players to tap into a charming yet epic point-and-click adventure.
• Lies of P presents players with an exquisitely crafted dark fantasy world.
• Apple Arcade’s Hello Kitty Island Adventure delivers an immersive gaming world.

Apps

• iPhone App of the Year: AllTrails, from AllTrails, Inc.
• iPad App of the Year: Prêt-à-Makeup, from Prêt-à-Template.
• Mac App of the Year: Photomator, from UAB Pixelmator Team.
• Apple TV App of the Year: MUBI, from MUBI, Inc.
• Apple Watch App of the Year: SmartGym, from Mateus Abras.

Games

• iPhone Game of the Year: Honkai: Star Rail, from COGNOSPHERE PTE. LTD.
• iPad Game of the Year: Lost in Play, from Snapbreak Games.
• Mac Game of the Year: Lies of P, from NEOWIZ.
• Apple Arcade Game of the Year: Hello Kitty Island Adventure, from Sunblink.

Cultural Impact Winners 

App Store Editors also selected five Cultural Impact winners, recognized for their ability to drive positive change through apps and games.

• Pok Pok from Pok Pok
  Designed with inclusivity in mind, Pok Pok is a digital toy room for kids.
• Proloquo from AssistiveWare
  AssistiveWare’s Proloquo is creating augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) tools that help the world communicate in new ways.
• Too Good To Go from Too Good To Go
  Too Good to Go enables users to minimize food waste by connecting them with restaurants and stores that have a surplus of unsold food at an affordable cost.
• Unpacking from Humble Bundle
  Unpacking mixes meditative puzzles to create a soul-soothing triumph around familiar experiences of change and connection.
• Finding Hannah from Fein Games GmbH
  Finding Hannah, a coming-of-age, hidden-object game with heartfelt tales that explores the power of healing and self-discovery.
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