Apple users are getting a powerful upgrade today with the launch of Apple Intelligence - a personal AI system embedded in iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1. This new feature set leverages Apple silicon to bring smarter language processing, advanced search, and even image generation capabilities to iPhones, iPads, and Macs, promising to simplify everyday tasks while prioritising user privacy.
Revolutionising User Experience with Apple Intelligence
Apple Intelligence combines years of AI research to deliver tools that aim to enrich daily interactions across Apple devices. “Apple Intelligence introduces a new era for iPhone, iPad, and Mac, delivering brand-new experiences and tools that will transform what our users can accomplish,” Apple CEO Tim Cook shared, underscoring that privacy remains at the heart of the experience.
Available globally for U.S. English settings, the initial rollout includes Writing Tools, a smarter Siri, and enhanced Photos app search, all supported by the M-series chips.
Systemwide Writing Tools: Refine, Rewrite, and Summarise
Apple Intelligence’s Writing Tools offer users the ability to rewrite, proofread, and summarise text seamlessly across apps like Mail, Messages, Notes, and Pages. Users can select text and choose different styles, from professional to friendly tones, or request summaries in varied formats, including bulleted lists or tables. This feature goes beyond grammar checks, providing context-specific adjustments that make written communication more versatile and efficient.
Siri’s Conversational Upgrade
With a fresh new look and the ability to switch between text and voice, Siri is now more natural and responsive. The upgraded Siri handles complex queries with ease, offering richer, context-aware responses on settings, features, and app interactions across Apple products. Siri can now maintain context between requests and understand nuances, further improving usability for multitaskers on iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
Smarter Photos App and Search Functionality
Apple Intelligence has made the Photos app smarter than ever with natural language search and enhanced organisation. Users can search for moments based on specific descriptions, like “Maya skateboarding in a tie-dye shirt,” and jump directly to specific scenes within videos. Additionally, the Clean Up tool allows users to remove unwanted elements from photos, preserving memorable moments without distractions.
Privacy at the Core of AI Innovation
Apple has built privacy safeguards into Apple Intelligence from the ground up, with on-device processing for most tasks and Private Cloud Compute for more complex AI tasks, ensuring data remains secure. ChatGPT integration within Siri and Writing Tools is optional, with anonymised data and stringent privacy controls. “An extraordinary step forward for privacy in AI,” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s SVP of Software Engineering, emphasising Apple’s commitment to user data security.
Future Apple Intelligence Capabilities
New Apple Intelligence features are slated for December, including custom emoji creation through Genmoji, an AI-powered Image Playground, and further Siri enhancements. As Apple Intelligence expands its language support, localised English options are expected for regions like the U.K. and Australia, with more languages coming by next April.
The first wave of Apple Intelligence is now available via a free update on compatible Apple devices, including iPhone 16 and later models, iPads with A17 Pro or M1 chips, and Macs with M1 or newer processors.