Apple Intelligence lets users build workflows using AI in iOS 27 Shortcuts app redesign

Apple Intelligence Transforms How Users Build Workflows Using AI

Apple announced a significant redesign of its Shortcuts app at the Worldwide Developers Conference on Monday, integrating Apple Intelligence to simplify workflow creation for iOS 27 users. The update addresses a long-standing barrier: the complexity that has kept many iPhone owners from exploring the powerful automation tool 1

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. Instead of manually configuring app actions and variables, users can now describe what they want through natural language prompts, and Apple Intelligence builds the required steps automatically.

"While super powerful, the process of creating these shortcuts can feel, well, complicated," admitted Celcia Dantas, Sr. Manager of Home Software Product Marketing, during the keynote 1

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. The new approach makes automations easy to build for non-technical users who previously found the visual-scripting interface intimidating.

Natural Language Prompts Simplify Workflow Creation

The AI-powered feature allows users to create complex automations by simply typing what they need. Dantas demonstrated this with a practical example: a user could request a shortcut that automatically notifies their partner when leaving work with an expected arrival time 1

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. Apple Intelligence interprets the request and assembles the necessary components—accessing a stored work address, calculating ETA using Apple Maps, and sending the alert via Messages.

For longtime users who already understand the Shortcuts app, the update promises significant time savings. One reviewer noted that creating a new shortcut manually still takes about 10-15 minutes, but with Apple Intelligence handling the assembly, that time drops dramatically 2

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. Users can also make edits or changes by describing them, such as adding a step to start playing a favorite podcast during the commute home 1

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Expanding Accessibility Beyond Power Users

The Shortcuts app was originally designed for power users comfortable with multi-step automation workflows, but the iOS 27 update aims to expand its reach considerably. Users can now leverage text prompts to AI to create automation routines without understanding technical concepts like triggers or debugging failed steps 3

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. Potential use cases range from automatically playing a workout playlist when starting an exercise session to helping someone locate a misplaced phone by triggering maximum volume and playing a loud song when receiving a specific text message 2

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Device Requirements and Broader Apple Intelligence Features

The new capability comes with hardware limitations. Users will need an iPhone 15 Pro or newer device to access the Apple Intelligence features powering the updated Shortcuts app 3

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. Those with older devices won't be able to use the AI-driven workflow creation tools.

Beyond the Shortcuts app, Apple Intelligence brings additional enhancements to iOS 27, including smart suggestions in Messages and Mail to help users take quick actions based on conversation context, improved Safari tab grouping, and the ability to create higher-quality images in Image Playground 2

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. The updated version of Shortcuts will roll out with iOS 27 later this fall, with a developer beta available now and a public beta coming in July 1

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