AI spells the end of OS as we know it
Artificial intelligence systems help us write essays, produce album art and translate languages. But the bigger impact from these technologies could be a shakeup of the entire software ecosystem, as a developers start to build their products around AI platforms instead of operating systems.
Alphabet Inc.'s Google and Microsoft Corp. are among those joining startup OpenAI in the rush to stake out territory in the nascent market for generative AI — systems that create content that mimics what a human may produce. So far, their attention seems to be on search, which finds and delivers information. Yet those companies, plus Apple Inc., need to look out for replacements to the more crucial platforms upon which much of their businesses are built.
At its most basic level, an operating system is merely a tool for managing various components of a computer, such as the processor, memory, storage, inputs (keyboard, mouse), and outputs (monitor, speakers). Handing off the administrative task of juggling system resources to the OS allows software such as an internet browser, social media app or photo editor to be simpler but also more stable.
The icons we see on the screen are merely the visible tip of the iceberg: Early operating systems such as those developed by Microsoft were simple text-based iterations with the grunt work happening behind the scenes. Today, Windows and Apple's iOS offer standard frameworks for interacting with their platforms, allowing external developers to create software more easily. And they do a lot more, from managing battery levels and switching between apps to securely storing passwords.
Apple and Google have built so much functionality directly into iOS and Android that it's sometimes hard to see where the
Read more on tech.hindustantimes.com
