Apple’s complicated plan to improve its AI while protecting privacy

Apple says it’s found a way to make its AI models better without training on its users’ data or even copying it from their iPhones and Macs. In a blog post first reported on by Bloomberg, the company outlined its plans to have devices compare a synthetic dataset to samples of recent emails or messages from users who have opted into its Device Analytics program.

Apple devices will be able to determine which synthetic inputs are closest to real samples, which they will relay to the company…