Apple may have arrived late to the artificial intelligence party. Still, the tech giant is making a grand entrance with “Apple Intelligence,” a new suite of AI features that promise to revolutionize the iPhone, Mac and iPad experience — all while keeping your data under lock and key.
At its annual Worldwide Developers Conference on Monday (June 10), Apple unveiled a smarter, chattier Siri, custom AI-generated “Genmoji,” and a GPT-4o lifeline for when Siri is over its virtual head. It’s a bold move for a company that once avoided the term “artificial intelligence” like the plague. Still, Apple is betting that it can deliver AI without compromising user privacy.
“We’re thrilled to introduce a new chapter in Apple innovation. Apple Intelligence will transform what users can do with our products — and what our products can do for our users,” said Apple CEO Tim Cook. “Our unique approach combines generative AI with a user’s context to deliver truly helpful intelligence. And it can access that information in a completely private and secure way to help users do the things that matter most to them. This is AI, as only Apple can deliver it, and we can’t wait for users to experience what it can do.”
The secret sauce to AI privacy, Apple style? On-device processing. Apple promises that most of the heavy lifting for its AI features will happen right on the device, ensuring that data remains personal. As Apple puts it, “Apple Intelligence” will be “aware of your personal data without collecting your personal information.” Of course, you’ll need a top-of-the-line A17 Pro or M-series chip to reap the benefits.
When your queries require more oomph, Apple has a trick up its sleeve: “private cloud computing.” Your data may take a brief trip to a secure server for processing, but it won’t set up camp there. This commitment to privacy sets Apple apart from rivals like OpenAI, which have faced criticism for collecting user inputs to train their AI models.
What can “Apple Intelligence” actually do? For starters, Siri is getting a major IQ boost. Expect more natural language recognition (even when you change your mind mid-sentence), the ability to write instructions to Siri by double-tapping your lock screen, and a knack for understanding context across apps.
Siri will also be able to lend a hand within apps, like adding photos to draft emails, sharing event photos with specific contacts, or summarizing meeting notes for your colleagues. This “on-screen awareness” is made possible by Siri’s ability to grab relevant info from your photos, calendar events, files, and messages — including those pesky PDF concert tickets and shared links.
But Siri isn’t the only one getting an AI makeover. Apple is rolling out email suggestions and text summaries in Mail, system-wide writing assistance, and “Genmoji” for those times when words just won’t cut it. The Photos app also gets an AI injection, with improved object search and features like the ability to erase unwanted photobombers.
For budding artists, “Image Playground” will let you generate AI images across multiple apps, while developers can join the fun with an API.
However, the most interesting revelation is Apple’s partnership with OpenAI. Later this year, ChatGPT 4o will be integrated into iOS, macOS, and iPadOS, and it will be ready to tag in when Siri taps out (with your permission, of course). While Apple is starting with the crème de la crème of chatbots, it promises to play nice with other AI models down the line.
With “Apple Intelligence,” Apple is betting big on AI while doubling down on privacy. It’s a delicate balancing act, but if anyone can pull it off, it’s the company that built an empire on making the complex feel effortless. As the AI arms race heats up, Apple is ready to show the world that it can innovate without sacrificing its values.
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