Here’s everything you need to know about Apple’s new AI features.
At WWDC on June 10 2024, Apple took the wraps off its ambitious project to inject generative AI features throughout its operating systems. Apple calls this Apple Intelligence, and it’s going to transform the way you use your iPhone, iPad, and Mac—but it’s also got significant limitations and caveats.
Here’s everything you need to know about Apple Intelligence before it lands on your devices: What it is, what it does, how it works, when it’s coming, and what you’ll need to be able to use it.
Updated September 18: iOS 18 is out now, and we have a better idea of when Apple Intelligence features will be released and when various languages will be supported.What is Apple Intelligence?
Apple Intelligence is Apple’s branded term for its suite of generative AI features that will debut in iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS 15 Sequoia. Because Apple has been using machine learning and “artificial intelligence” in its products for years (though not generative AI), and because Apple is a company that can never pass up a good branding opportunity, it took “AI” and gave it a snazzy new name.
Apple Intelligence involves several features including some centered around reading and writing, some for image generation, and a few other things. It’s a way of getting things done quicker through voice and text prompts that draw on personal context and understanding to deliver results quickly and privately.When will Apple Intelligence be released?
The initial release of iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS 15 did not include Apple Intelligence. Rather, the features are coming in updates, piece by piece, over several months.
The first Apple Intelligence features will be available in iOS 18.1, likely launching in October, with further features rolling out in later releases. We have an article that gives you a detailed roadmap of Apple Intelligence features and their likely release dates.
The first release will only support US English and will only be available in some regions. Localized English for UK, Canada, Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand is coming by the end of 2024. Support for German, Italian, Korean, Portuguese, Vietnamese, and some other languages will be added throughout 2025.What are the features of Apple Intelligence?
Apple Intelligence, in this first year’s release, is a broad set of features that can be loosely categorized into four groups: Siri, writing, images, and summaries/organization.Siri
Siri will be vastly improved with Apple Intelligence. It will be more natural and easier to talk to using normal speech, even if you mess up your words. It will use context about you from throughout your iPhone–photos, messages, contacts, locations, and more–to give results that are specific to you, personally. It’s such a big upgrade that Apple calls it, “The start of a new era for Siri.”
Siri will remember context from one command to the next so you won’t need to summon Siri a second or third time to do more than one task. It can also perform lots of new actions within apps. Apple is adding a lot to its “App Intents” which is how apps–including third-party apps–integrate with Siri. Siri will also be able to look at the screen and understand what’s on it, so you can give it commands related to what you’re looking at. If your friend messages you his address, you can say “Siri, save this address to his contact info” and it will see the address on the screen to know what you mean, and know who “his” is from the context of the message.
