Apple Intelligence is the name that Apple has given to its AI framework, which consists of several features and tools that will be coming to iPhones, iPads, and Macs later this year. These include language tools, image generation, and editing features, an enhanced version of Siri, and much more. All of these are designed to make Apple devices more powerful and at the same time easier to use.
Despite being a latecomer to the AI party, Apple has done its homework and designed Apple Intelligence so that it does not work as a separate tool, an approach followed by companies like Microsoft. Instead, it has baked its AI features right into its latest batch of software updates for its devices.
The key distinguishing feature of Apple Intelligence is Private Cloud Compute, which allows AI models to run on your device instead of in the cloud. For highly complex tasks, this technology lets Apple use its own proprietary cloud for processing while still ensuring user data remains completely private.
Thus, Apple Intelligence can scale and adapt as needed to process the data and provide users information or assistance they are looking for, without compromising privacy and security. Apple does not retain or store this data on its server and will even let independent experts go through its servers to verify that user privacy is ensured. So, if you're wondering which Apple Intelligence-powered features are coming to Apple devices, we've got you covered.
Writing Tools
Apple Intelligence brings new Writing Tools to Apple devices that will help you write and edit more easily by incorporating various features.
There is the Rewrite feature, which shows different versions of the text you write and adjusts the tone of your writing to make it more professional, concise, or friendly.
In addition, the Proofread feature can help you check the clarity, structure, and grammar of your writing.
Finally, the Summarize feature can condense pieces of text and provide you with summaries in various forms like tables or bulleted lists.
Writing Tools will work across different apps including Pages, Notes, Mail, and even supported third-party apps. Writing Tools can not only be useful for students but also for professionals who have to write emails and messages.
Live Recording, Transcription, and Summarization
Besides Writing Tools, Apple Intelligence will let you record, transcribe, and summarize audio in apps like Phone and Notes. This means Apple users can finally record phone calls on their iPhones without having to rely on third-party apps and can even jot down notes by dictating them. Keep in mind that when you use the feature to record calls, it will notify the other party that the call is being recorded.
Apple Intelligence will also let you create summaries of your transcripts, so you don't have to go through long text pieces. The best part is that all of these features can be used for live audio in real time.
An excellent example of this is when you're planning to move and need to retain the information shared by your moving company. You can simply record the conversation and then summarize it so you can check it whenever needed.
Image Generation and Editing
Another exciting Apple Intelligence feature coming to iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS 15 is Image Playground. Image Playground lets you generate original images using prompts and will be available in various apps like Messages and Notes while also being available as a standalone app. You can simply enter a prompt and it will give you a few options regarding the type of image you can generate.
With Image Playground, you can generate images in different styles, including illustration, sketch, and animation. The app will even offer suggestions, such as themes, environments, locations, and more and you can edit the images so they can be used in apps like Keynote and Messages.
Image Wand
Image Wand is a powerful Apple Intelligence-powered feature that can help you transform your rough sketches into highly detailed artwork. Simply use your finger or Apple Pencil to draw a circle around your sketch and the AI will change it into a completed art piece. Even more impressive is the fact that the feature can create images when you circle on a blank section next to your notes by using them for context.
Genmoji
In addition to the Image Playground, there is Genmoji, which lets users create custom emojis for different contexts that can be used in apps like Messages, shared as stickers, or used in Tapback.
Simply enter a prompt, such as a race car driver and Genmoji will give a few different options to choose from. And that's not all, as you can even use photos from your contacts list to create Genmojis of your friends and family.
AI-Enhanced Siri
On devices that will be getting Apple Intelligence-powered updates, Siri will also become more powerful thanks to the power of AI. It will get better conversational capabilities, being able to understand commands and requests even when you stumble while saying them. It will also work throughout the device.
The new version of Siri will also support text interactions in addition to voice-based ones; you can use Siri with text by double-tapping at the bottom of your device. Moreover, a new 'on-screen awareness' feature will let it understand what is happening on your screen and take action on your behalf. Siri will also be able to take action in and across first and third-party apps by retrieving information, as explained earlier.
Apart from this, Siri can now provide device support to Apple users, helping them learn about their devices and how to perform various tasks using those.
Pallav Pathak
Priority Notifications
Apple Intelligence-powered devices will be able to understand which notifications are most important for you and show them at the top. If there are multiple notifications, it will automatically summarize them. Similarly, the Priority Messages system will show you the most important emails first and also display a summary instead of a few lines.
Focus Feature
Priority Notifications work in tandem with the new Focus feature, Reduce Interruptions, which only shows notifications based on their importance. This means that it will not show notifications that it considers less or unimportant, so you can focus on your work without getting disturbed.
Smart Reply
Smart Reply is also coming with Apple Intelligence and will suggest replies by understanding the context of a message. You can simply tap on the suggested replies to send them in your message. It can even identify questions in emails and suggest replies that you can use with just a tap.
Mail Improvements
Apple Mail is also getting its own set of AI features, and will now be able to categorize emails into different categories, such as Primary, Transactions, Updates, and Promotions. It can also filter out newsletters and promotional emails, helping you easily get to the ones you want. A 'digest' view will make all emails from a particular business available in one location.
As mentioned before, you can summarize your emails and get help when writing them. Writing Tools can help you adjust the tone of your emails, rewrite them, and even help identify and answer questions asked in previous emails. In addition to that, users can ask Siri to find information from emails and the digital assistant will now be able to do so.
For instance, you can ask the chatbot Siri, when is my mom's flight landing? and Siri will check your email and use real-time flight tracking to bring you the information you need. With Priority Notifications, your most important emails will appear at the top so you can get to them quickly.
Photos App Update
The Photos app is getting a revamp with Apple Intelligence, and will now allow users to search for photos and videos using natural language queries. It will also let you remove unwanted elements from photos, reposition them, and edit them in other ways.
Clean Up Tool
The Clean Up Tool in the Photos app lets you identify background objects with Apple Intelligence and remove them with just a tap.
Custom Memory Movies
A new feature called Custom Memory Movies will be available in the Photos app and will allow you to create stories from videos and photos using text. Apple Intelligence will create a narrative by tailoring your photos together based on the text prompts you provide and will even suggest songs to add to it from Apple Music.
For instance, you can enter a prompt like all the desserts I ate during the summer, set to a pop song and the AI will create a custom memory by bringing all the photos matching that description and selecting a suitable song from your Apple Music library. Additionally, all photos and videos will be kept private and will not be shared with anyone, including Apple.
ChatGPT Integration
ChatGPT is also coming to Apple Devices through Apple Intelligence and will work through the new and updated version of Siri. When you give Siri a complex query that requires the help of ChatGPT, it will first ask you whether you want to send the query to OpenAI's chatbot. If you do so, Siri will send the query to ChatGPT and bring you the answer.
For instance, you can ask Siri how can I create a 5-course meal with a focus on different taste sensations? and the chatbot will ask you whether you want to connect with ChatGPT to get the answer. If you give it permission, it will show you the answer on your screen.
Apple has highlighted the fact that user requests will not be logged with ChatGPT, so your data will remain private. Besides text, you can use images and documents to ask ChatGPT questions through Siri, and a ChatGPT user account is not needed to access it.
With Apple Intelligence, Apple is bringing a host of AI-powered features to its devices, including the iPhone 15 Pro series, iPads, and Macs. While the first developer beta versions of OS updates for these devices are available at the time of this writing, the AI features are missing. The company has not announced a specific release date for when these features will become available, but they are expected to arrive in beta sometime this fall.
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