集群部署 本地运行 四台十万元的 Mac Studio 并联在一起，就能部署一套价值上百亿人民币的超大规模 AI 模型？ 听上去像是天方夜谭，但这的确就是 Apple Silicon 给苹果的自信。 前几个月，爱范儿就曾经报道过来自牛津大学的 Alex Cheema 与 Seth Howes 共同创建的 Exo Labs 公司，借助自己开发的分布式模型调度平台，将两台 Mac Studio 串联起来实现本地运行百亿级参数模型的事例： 延伸阅读：俩人拼出 40 万的 Mac Studio「缝合怪」，双开满血 DeepSeek 不在话下 苹果显然也注意到了 Exo Labs 的成果。 在最新的 macOS 26.2 Beta 中，苹果为 macOS 的 AI 能力进行了一些极具针对性的加强，瞄准的方向正是 Exo Labs 所展现的—— Mac 集群化部署。 简单来说，在最新版的 macOS 26.2 Developer Beta 中，苹果做出了两项重大改进： 苹果开发的开源阵列框架 MLX 也可以调用 M5 处理器的神经网络加速器了 Mac 集群可以使用一种新的基于雷雳 5 协议的更高速传输通道了 神经网络加速 ...

Core Insights - Apple stock (NASDAQ: AAPL) is experiencing significant challenges due to a series of executive departures, which is escalating into a crisis for the company [1] - Investor concerns have intensified with reports suggesting that Johny Srouji, a key figure behind Apple's Silicon strategy, may also be leaving [1] Company Developments - The departure of executives is creating a perception of instability within Apple, impacting investor confidence [1] - Johny Srouji's potential exit raises alarms as he is considered instrumental in developing Apple's competitive edge in Silicon technology [1]

Executive Turmoil at Apple - Apple is facing significant executive turmoil as Johny Srouji, Senior Vice President of Hardware Technologies, is considering leaving the company, which could impact its innovation strategy [1] - Srouji has been pivotal in the development of Apple Silicon and other hardware technologies, prompting CEO Tim Cook to offer substantial compensation and a potential CTO role to retain him [1][3] Leadership Changes - The potential exit of Srouji adds to a series of high-profile departures at Apple, including the recent retirements of General Counsel Kate Adams and environmental chief Lisa Jackson, as well as the exits of design executive Alan Dye and AI chief John Giannandrea [2] - Longtime COO Jeff Williams has also retired, indicating a broader reorganization as many senior leaders approach retirement age [2] Impact on AI and Hardware Development - Srouji's leadership has been crucial in building Apple's custom chip program, including A-series processors and the transition to Apple Silicon for Macs, which are essential for AI performance and on-device machine learning [3] - His departure could significantly affect Apple's future AI hardware roadmap, especially amid reported setbacks in Apple's AI initiatives, such as delays in the rollout of Apple Intelligence and updates to Siri [3]

Group 1 - The recent delivery of the DGX Spark AI supercomputer by Huang Renxun to Elon Musk has sparked community interest in local computing, indicating a potential shift from cloud-based AI to local AI solutions [1][4] - The global investment in cloud AI data centers is projected to reach nearly $3 trillion by 2028, with significant contributions from major tech companies, including an $80 billion investment by Microsoft for AI data centers [4][5] - The DGX Spark, priced at $3,999, is the smallest AI supercomputer to date, designed to compress vast computing power into a local device, marking a return of computing capabilities to personal desktops [4][5] Group 2 - The release of DGX Spark suggests that certain AI workloads are now feasible for local deployment, but achieving a practical local AI experience requires not only powerful hardware but also a robust ecosystem of local models and tools [6] Group 3 - The combination of new architectures in SLM and edge chips is expected to push the boundaries of local AI capabilities for consumer devices, although specific challenges remain to be addressed before widespread adoption [3]

Market Capitalization - Nvidia's stock price has increased more than tenfold compared to Apple's over the past two years [4] - Investors believe Apple has missed the AI wave, while Apple's Siri remains significantly behind competitors like Xiaomi's Xiao Ai [5][6] Historical Context - Steve Jobs' NeXT and Pixar were founded on advanced hardware designs, with NeXT introducing the NeXTdimension graphics card in 1991, which was ahead of its time [7][8] - NeXT's graphics accelerator utilized a superior Intel i860 processor, marking an early instance of GPGPU technology [9] Company Dynamics - Historical tensions between Apple and Nvidia stem from patent disputes and Nvidia's attempts to dominate Apple's ecosystem [14][15] - Apple has chosen to forgo Nvidia's GPUs to maintain control over its ecosystem, even impacting its automotive ambitions [15][16] Technological Developments - Apple is developing its own data center chips, with plans to utilize a "glue" approach for chip integration, similar to AMD's Chiplet strategy [17][18] - Apple has reportedly rented Google's TPU clusters for training and plans to mass-produce a data center chip designed by Broadcom next year [19] Competitive Landscape - Apple does not require CUDA within its ecosystem, similar to Google's situation [21][22] - The AI battlefield is shifting from cloud computing to user experience, with the competition between Nvidia's development ecosystem and Apple's application ecosystem defining the next decade [28]

Core Insights - Apple is set to release a new version of Apple TV 4K within the year, featuring a lower price point and the first self-developed Wi-Fi/Bluetooth chip, codenamed "Proxima," replacing the previous Broadcom solution [1][3][19] - The expansion of Apple's self-developed chip strategy indicates a shift in focus beyond just SoCs, as the company aims to enhance product and ecosystem experiences through deeper integration of its chip technology [4][14][19] Group 1: Self-Developed Chip Expansion - Apple's self-developed chip landscape has expanded significantly over the past decade, with a focus on various chip categories including SoCs for iPhones, Macs, and other devices [3][5] - The new Wi-Fi/Bluetooth chip "Proxima" is part of Apple's strategy to reduce reliance on third-party suppliers like Broadcom and Qualcomm, thereby gaining greater control over connectivity and energy efficiency [14][19] - Apple's CEO Tim Cook emphasized that "Apple Silicon is at the core of all experiences," highlighting the importance of self-developed chips in enhancing user experience across devices [4][14] Group 2: Chip Categories and Functions - Apple's self-developed chips can be categorized into three main types: main control SoCs, functional module chips, and foundational capability chips [5][10] - Functional module chips include those for Bluetooth and wireless communication, while foundational capability chips encompass power management, display control, and cellular baseband chips [10][11] - The transition to self-developed chips allows Apple to unify its computing architecture across all product lines, enhancing performance and user experience [10][19] Group 3: Competitive Landscape - Other tech giants like Huawei and Xiaomi are also investing in self-developed chips, aiming to enhance product differentiation and optimize user experiences [16][18] - The common goal among these companies is to achieve deeper integration of chip technology into their products, which allows for better performance and energy management [18][19] - The self-developed chip strategy is seen as essential for maintaining competitive advantage in the consumer electronics market, as it enables companies to control key aspects of their product ecosystems [14][18]

Core Insights - Apple's CEO Tim Cook emphasized the necessity for the company to succeed in the artificial intelligence (AI) sector, committing to unlimited resource investment for this goal [1][3] - Cook highlighted Apple's historical pattern of being a latecomer yet redefining standards, stating that the impact of AI will surpass that of smartphones and the internet, making it imperative for Apple to act [3] Strategic Initiatives - Apple plans to double the scale of AI accelerators in its next generation of Apple Silicon, positioning them as the core engine for all devices [3] - The company is restructuring Siri, abandoning the previous mixed architecture due to quality issues, and is redesigning the end-to-end large language model architecture under the leadership of Mike Rockwell, with a significant upgrade expected in 2025 [3] Collaborations and Acquisitions - Apple is evaluating multiple AI startups for potential acquisition or deep collaboration, including Perplexity and Mistral, while maintaining technical discussions with OpenAI and Anthropic to expedite AI functionality [3]

Core Insights - Apple CEO Tim Cook emphasized the necessity for the company to achieve success in the artificial intelligence (AI) sector, committing to unlimited resource investment for this goal [1][2] Group 1: Company Strategy - Apple has a history of being a latecomer in technology but has consistently redefined standards, as seen with the Mac, iPhone, and iPad [2] - The company plans to double the scale of AI accelerators in its next generation of Apple Silicon, making them the core engine for all devices [2] - A significant overhaul of Siri is underway, with the previous mixed architecture being abandoned in favor of a new end-to-end large language model architecture, expected to launch in 2025 [2] Group 2: Partnerships and Acquisitions - Apple is evaluating multiple AI startups for potential acquisition or deep collaboration, including Perplexity and Mistral [2] - The company continues to engage in technical discussions with OpenAI and Anthropic to accelerate the implementation of AI functionalities [2]

Core Insights - Apple is considering the use of generative artificial intelligence technology to accelerate its custom chip design process [1][4] - The company has gained significant experience in chip design since the launch of the A4 chip in 2010, which is now widely used across various devices including Mac desktops and Vision Pro headsets [4] - Apple emphasizes the importance of using advanced tools in chip design, particularly the latest design software from Electronic Design Automation (EDA) firms [4] - Major EDA companies like Cadence Design Systems and Synopsys are integrating AI capabilities into their products, which could enhance design efficiency [4] - Apple made a decisive move in 2020 to transition its Mac product line from Intel chips to its own Apple Silicon without any backup plans, showcasing its commitment to innovation [4]

Group 1 - The core idea of the article is that Apple is planning to launch a revolutionary iPhone design in 2027, coinciding with the 20th anniversary of the iPhone, featuring a nearly all-glass, curved design and an under-display front camera for a true edge-to-edge screen [1][2] - In addition to the iPhone redesign, 2027 is expected to be a significant year for Apple, potentially introducing a new Siri powered by large language models and dedicated AI server chips developed by Apple's design team in Israel [2] - The article mentions other anticipated products for 2027, including the first foldable iPhone, smart glasses to compete with Meta's Ray-Ban, AirPods with built-in cameras, and a desktop AI robot featuring a personalized voice assistant [3]