Apple Intelligence: The Next Big AI Leap for iPhones

What Is Apple Intelligence? Everything We Know About iPhone 16 AI Features

Apple's push for generative AI across its multiple OSes has begun, under the none-too-subtle name of Apple Intelligence. That kicked off when Apple Intelligence stole the show during the WWDC keynote back in June and took a step forward at It's Glowtime event earlier in September that introduced the iPhone 16 lineup. During the Glowtime keynote presentation, Craig Federighi, Apple's head of software engineering, said that Apple Intelligence is "at the heart of the iPhone 16 experience." Read more: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Review: Compelling Upgrade, and My Favorite Feature in Years The company had opened up Apple Intelligence for public testing days before the iPhone 16 hit stores which included some of Apple's promised AI-powered writing tools, Siri enhancements and photo library-connected requests. But it's not being released in full until later this fall for a subset of iPhones, iPads and Macs with the necessary chipsets -- and even then it will debut as a beta feature to opt into. So Apple Intelligence is really a beta within a beta: it's part of the public beta of iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1 and MacOS Sequoia 15.1. Apple is not introducing all its promised AI-driven upgrades at once. The public beta version of Apple Intelligence has AI-suggested writing tools that pop up in documents or emails, photo tools including Clean Up to remove unwanted parts of an image and a number of Siri changes including a new voice designed to sound more natural, more contextual conversations, a new glowing border around the display when Siri is running and a double-tap gesture on the bottom of the screen to type to Siri. There's also instant movie memory requesting in Photos and AI summaries in Messages, Mail, Notifications and Notes. But ChatGPT plug-ins, Apple's GenMoji and Image Playground features and other Siri features aren't on board yet. The public beta has an option in the Settings app (new HED, slug, DEK, clear timestamp and update your lede and references throughout framing it as a post iPhone 16 release) that lets you opt into Apple Intelligence features for testing, a process that Apple says could take hours to get approved for. It's still unknown whether Apple's public release of the Apple Intelligence beta arriving later this year will have a similar opt-in process. While some of Apple's AI features sound genuinely useful, the limited rollout to only certain iPhones, iPads and Macs later this year (iPhone 15 Pro models or later, and Macs and iPads with M-series chips) means it won't be used by everyone. We will, hopefully, begin to understand what those features will actually be capable of doing. Apple Intelligence is billed as "AI for the rest of us." The idea is that Apple Intelligence is built into your iPhone, iPad, and Mac to help you write, get things done and express yourself. It draws on personal context across your Apple devices to make recommendations, and generates results more specific to you. Apple touts the AI feature as setting a brand-new standard for privacy in AI. CNET's Lisa Eadicicco, in her story about Apple Intelligence, says that understanding personal context when delivering answers and carrying out tasks is a big part of Apple's approach with Apple Intelligence. "Apple seems to be using this tactic as a way to distinguish its own AI efforts from those previously announced by competitors," wrote Eadicicco. "As an example, the company explained how Apple Intelligence can understand multiple factors like traffic, your schedule and your contacts to help you understand whether you can make it to an event on time." At the moment, Apple Intelligence is available in beta on the iPhone 16 series, iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max, and any iPad or Mac with an M1 chip and later, with Siri and device language set to US English. This fall Apple Intelligence will get its public release as part of iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and MacOS Sequoia. Here's a list of current Apple devices that will be able to run Apple Intelligence: The initial set of features that make use of Apple Intelligence features will be available in beta in October as part of iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and MacOS Sequoia 15.1. Additional features will be made available "in the months to come," Apple said. Currently, you can use Apple Intelligence on a compatible iPhone, iPad or Mac that's running the public beta for iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1 and MacOS Sequoia 15.1, respectively, with Siri and device language set to US English. At launch, it will be available in the US. Specifically Apple says that Apple Intelligence will work on compatible iPhone, iPad or Mac models with Siri and device language set to US English. Support for additional languages will come in 2025. No. Apple Intelligence runs on-device (iPhone, iPad or Mac) and on Apple silicon-powered servers in the cloud which Apple calls Private Cloud Compute. It depends on your prompts and questions as to whether Apple Intelligence is processed on-device or in the cloud. Apple Intelligence is not ChatGPT nor does it run on OpenAI's well-known service. However, Apple Intelligence does support supplemental third-party AI services, with ChatGPT being the first one announced. ChatGPT access will be integrated into Siri and writing tools on iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and MacOS Sequoia allowing Apple device owners to access it without jumping between tools. Apple Intelligence capabilities fall into one of three categories: writing, images and Siri. Writing tools will be available wherever you write. Apple Intelligence will be able to proofread your text, rewrite different versions adjusting the tone and wording, and summarize selected text with a tap. Image tools will be able to create original images based on prompts in the new Image Playground app. You'll be able to turn a rough sketch into a related image that complements your notes with the Apple Intelligence-powered Image Wand. You will also be able to generate custom and unique Genmoji with Apple Intelligence straight from your keyboard. Apple says that you'll even have the option to pick someone from your Photos library and create a Genmoji that looks like them. In the Photos app, you'll be able to make a custom memory movie based on the description you provide. Apple Intelligence will give Siri a giant overhaul. Siri will have a new design, richer language understanding and the ability to type to Siri instead of dictating. Siri's voice and response will sound more natural and conversational. Apple Intelligence gives Siri an awareness of personal context and the ability to take action in and across multiple apps, and product knowledge about your devices' features and settings. Apple says that Siri will be able to assist you like never before. Apple isn't charging for Apple Intelligence or announced any plans to do so.

Apple Intelligence release date report: When will you get iOS 18 Genmoji, new Siri, and more?

On Apple's official website, the Cupertino-based tech giant says that Apple Intelligence is "coming this fall." However, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, via his Power On newsletter, claims that he has more specific insight into the release date windows of some of the most highly anticipated Apple Intelligence features, including Genmoji, Image Playground, and more. As of this writing, you can beta test some Apple Intelligence features, including the new Clean Up Tool (Apple's answer to Google Magic Eraser), Writing Tools, Siri's new ability to handle disfluency, transcripts for Voice Memos and call recording, and more. (If you don't know how to test Apple's new suite of AI features, check out our quick Apple Intelligence guide; just make sure to backup your iPhone because beta software can be a little rough-around-the-edges.) The stable public release of Apple Intelligence is expected to debut with the official launch of iOS 18.1. According to Gurman, iOS 18.1 will roll out some time "in the middle of October." However, iOS 18.1 will not include Genmoji, Image Playground, and some other Apple Intelligence features. You may be wondering, "Well, when can I expect to officially get Genmoji and the other aforementioned perks?" According to Gurman, you'll have to wait until iOS 18.2 to play around with Genmoji, Image Playground, and the new ChatGPT integration. "The company is looking to get that [iOS 18.2] release down to zero-bug status in early November," Gurman said. This means that the release date window for Genmoji, Image Playground, and ChatGPT integration will be some time in December. Users likely won't get the full suite of Apple Intelligence's AI-powered features until next year. According to Gurman, Siri's new ability to provide better contextual and personalized responses won't be available until March with iOS 18.4. The most highly anticipated software release of 2024 is arguably iOS 18.2. Genmoji will allow you to create emoji by simply describing them with a text prompt. Image Playground is Apple's answer to Google's "Pixel Studio," which lets you produce AI-generated images. If you have an iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, as well as any of the four iPhone 16 models, you'll have the opportunity to enjoy Apple Intelligence with its staggered rollout this year and next year.

Apple Intelligence's best features may be coming sooner than we think

Report claims Apple is eyeing an accelerated schedule for some Siri features. Apple's big iPhone 16 launch weekend wasn't quite all it could be, because of one major missing feature: Apple Intelligence. While new features such as Camera Control and personalized Photographic Styles gave users plenty to play with, the main attraction was MIA and will be for a little while. But perhaps not as long as we thought. In his latest Power On newsletter, Mark Gurman reports that Apple is "already racing" to deliver iOS 18.1 and 18.2 before the end of 2024, with some major Apple Intelligence features, including the new Siri interface, Writing Tools, Genmoji, ChatGPT integration, and the Image Playground app. That's on track with Apple's previous roadmap for its AI suite of features. However, Gurman also reports that Apple is working to complete the development of iOS 18.3 by the end of the year for a January release, an aggressive timeline that would see most of Apple Intelligence's major features arrive within four months. That release may also include some of the new Siri features, which were originally slated for iOS 18.4. Gurman says that release is due to arrive in March. Apple has been heavily promoting Apple Intelligence as one of the main reasons to buy an iPhone 16, so it's likely that it wants to push out these features sooner than later. iPhone 16 users can already install the iOS 18.1 beta on their phones to test the first round of features, which will likely arrive in mid-October.

Waiting for Apple Intelligence in iOS 18? Here's the Timeline for Upcoming AI Features

Apple launched its new iPhone 16 series on September 9, 2024. Exactly a week later, the Cupertino tech giant released the stable version of iOS 18 to the public, but it doesn't have any Apple Intelligence features as of now. As Apple already mentioned, the first set of Apple Intelligence features will arrive with iOS 18.1, which is scheduled for October in US English. Apple's suite of AI features will continue to roll out in iOS 18.2 and beyond. Now, Mark Gurman has shared an expected timeline for Apple Intelligence features in iOS 18. Apple Intelligence features will be available on the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, or any iPhone 16 model. Initially, users will have to set the device and Siri language to U.S. English on their AI-compatible iPhones. Let's have a look at how and when Apple plans to launch Apple Intelligence in different countries. When Apple first announced the Apple Intelligence release date, it stated that the first set of AI features would only be available to the public in U.S. English via an iOS 18 version arriving in October. Apple might remove all the critical bugs in iOS 18.1 by the beginning of this week, so we can expect a stable iOS 18.1 release by the middle of October. Here are all the features we will get to see in iOS 18.1: Apple has been internally testing iOS 18.2 for a few months now. With the iOS 18.2 upgrade, the giant will expand Apple Intelligence features to localized English in the UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and South Africa. Apple is planning to reach zero-bug status in early November, so we can expect iOS 18.2 to arrive sometime in December. Here's what iOS 18.2 will bring: Other iOS 18.2 features are also in the works, which include notification prioritization on the lock screen and the new email app interface. According to Mark Gurman, iOS 18.3 is likely to be a minor update which will be released shortly after the U.S. holiday season. At the moment, it is unclear if iOS 18.3 will add any major Apple Intelligence features. Gurman adds that many of the new Siri features are in consideration for iOS 18.3. So, might get to see a more polished and refined Siri. Mark Gurman has always believed that some of the teased Siri features like understanding personal context, onscreen awareness, and deeper per-app controls might not be available until March 2025. He mentioned that these impressive Siri features will be reserved for iOS 18.4 which is expected to arrive sometime in March. Apple plans to expand its forthcoming AI system to India (English), Singapore (English), Italy (Italian), Germany (German), Vietnam (Vietnamese), South Korea (Korean), and Portugal (Portuguese) in 2025. Based on this timeframe, it's safe to assume that support for these languages will be added in iOS 18.4 update. While it's not uncommon for Apple to postpone some new features, this time things have gone a little weird. The staggered rollout of Apple Intelligence features is definitely a turn-off. Things go even worse due to the fact AI features aren't even available right out of the box on the new iPhone 16 series, which is specially designed for AI.

Siri May Not Get Its Apple Intelligence Update Until January 2025

The iPhone 16 is built for Apple Intelligence, with most of the features rolling out through the next few months. I mentioned in my iPhone 16/16 Pro reviews that there's been an air of general grievance around the launch of the devices. Apple made a big to-do about Apple Intelligence taking the reins forward for its walled garden ecosystem. But there's little about the new iPhone that screams, "It's got AI!" beyond some helpful features, like writing tools and mail summaries. There are more Apple Intelligence features on the way. The company has opted for a slow release, ensuring that what it's pushing out works before it hits devices. Over the weekend, Bloomberg's PowerOn newsletter reported details on the update schedule. iOS 18.1 is slated to launch next. It's the version currently in public beta, though it's already been through four beta tests. It features the revamped Control Center and Type to Siri capabilities. It's looking like it will hit sometime next month. iOS 18.2 will be the significant Apple Intelligence dump. That update features Genmoji, ChatGPT integration, and the highly anticipated Image Playground, the AI feature that resembles what's happening with Apple's competitors, namely Google's Gemini and Samsung's Galaxy AI. That's also the one that will prioritize notifications rather than merely summarizing them. iOS 18.2 is expected to be released by December, just before the holidays. iOS 18.3 is the big kahuna update for Siri and Apple Intelligence. There isn't much listed about what that update includes, but it seems to be the one that will unlock Siri's total capacity, including on-screen awareness and personal context. This version won't see the light of day until at least January. That means it will be three months after the launch of the iPhone 16 that the devices will get the Apple Intelligence features that scream, "This is AI." The most significant AI-infused iOS update will come next year. That's iOS 18.4, which was initially going to include all the AI-enhanced Siri features. But with all the fan dismay over the delay, Apple may be switching gears to get it out sooner, hence the Bloomberg report about a January launch. For now, Siri's biggest AI infusion will come through iOS 18.1 in October. You'll see a screen that lights up around the edges of the iPhone to indicate the digital assistant is activated. It's more sensitive, too. Simply saying "Siri" will activate the phone and start the conversation. And it's a conversation, rather than feeling like you're saying an input command out loud, step by step. This version of Siri is also the one to handle the "umms" and other mess-ups you might stumble upon as you're querying it out loud. I can understand why it's frustrating that Apple didn't come out of the gate with Apple Intelligence. But as I said in my review, the company is smarter for spinning it in a way that makes it seem the delays are due to ensuring quality. As an Android user who does feel scorned by Gemini each time I attempt to use it, iOS users should thank their lucky stars it's still Siri at the helm taking questions and commands and doling out answers.

Here's when to expect each batch of fresh Apple Intelligence features on iOS 18

Apple's full AI suite may not become publicly available until March 2025, when the company debuts iOS 18.4. Despite AI features being one of the iPhone 16's unique selling points, the initial iOS 18 release packs zero Apple Intelligence perks. And while the first batch of artificial smarts will land on the latest iPhones next month, the full suite likely won't materialize until March 2025. A new report has broken down the potential Apple Intelligence timeline, revealing what AI features iOS users can expect and when. iOS 18.1 introduces the first round of AI additions, including Writing Tools for text manipulation, Clean Up in Photos to remove distracting objects, and the smart Reduce Interruptions Focus mode. It also supports summarization for web articles, push notifications, emails, and messages. The release is already available to beta testers, and stable OS users can expect it to launch next month. According to Bloomberg, iOS 18.2 will add even more Apple Intelligence features, including the native ChatGPT integration, Genmoji support for custom emoji creation, the Image Playground app for AI image generation, and the automatic Mail categories. Users can expect this version to debut in December. Lastly, iOS 18.4 will reportedly bring the final batch of Apple Intelligence features previewed at WWDC24. Notably, Siri will become aware of personal user data and on-screen content, allowing it to execute more advanced actions inside apps and generally become more helpful. Apple will likely seed iOS 18.4 to the public in March.

Siri's Apple Intelligence Upgrades Are Still a Few Updates Away

When Apple first revealed Apple Intelligence, it's slate of generative AI features, a huge part of that announcement was a super-charged Siri. No longer would Apple's digital assistant be lagging behind competitors like Google: With the power of AI, the new Siri might actually be useful. When Apple Intelligence drops in full, Siri will reportedly be much more contextually aware, and be able to scan what's on your phone to understand and answer questions you ask. If your friend sends you their new address, you can ask Siri "add this address to their contact card." You don't need to specify which address or which contact, because the assistant will, according to Apple, be able to understand that by what's currently on-screen. Another huge feature is the ability to ask Siri to take action for you: You can ask Siri to send an email you have in your drafts, edit an image on your behalf, or add a photo to a specific note. If you bought a new iPhone 16 this week, you might have assumed your phone came with this new Siri. iOS 18 has been out for a bit, after all, and Apple is advertising Apple Intelligence (and the new Siri) with a new campaign featuring Bella Ramsey. Some Apple Store employees even started a chant about AI during the iPhone 16 launch. The thing is, the new Siri isn't here yet. Hell, Apple Intelligence as a whole isn't here yet -- at least, not officially. Apple is releasing the first wave of new AI features with iOS 18.1, currently in beta testing. If you install the beta on your iPhone, you can try out some of Apple's upcoming features, plus a preview of the new Siri upgrades: That includes Siri's new design, which glows around the edges of the display; the ability to type to Siri by double-tapping on the bottom of the screen; Siri's ability to understand requests even when you misspeak; and a new feature that turns Siri into impromptu tech support (e.g., "How do I turn off Do Not Disturb?"). But even when iOS 18.1 does come out, most of Siri's biggest upgrades, like contextual awareness and actionable tasks, won't be present. As it happens, they won't be present with iOS 18.2, either. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman (via TechRadar), Apple is planning on rolling out most of Siri's big upgrades by iOS 18.4. Gurman says some Siri features are being considered for iOS 18.3, too, but didn't provide specifics on which features those may be. While Apple doesn't provide a timeline in advance of future iOS releases, we can look at past update to get a rough estimate. iOS 17.3, for example, dropped in January, while iOS 17.4 (which added a bunch of EU-only features) released in March. If that timeline holds, expect to see Siri features drop by March, with some coming as early as January. Of course, if you're open to installing beta software, you could try these features even earlier. Apple dropped the first developer beta for iOS 17.3 in December, and the first developer beta for iOS 17.4 in January, so beta testers could, in theory, try out these Siri upgrades as soon as the end of this year. While Apple supports iPhone as old as the XS with iOS 18, not many iPhones will actually get these new Siri features. That's because Apple Intelligence is limited to iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and the iPhone 16 series. If you have an iPhone 15 or older, you won't see these new upgrades, even when you update to iOS 18.1, iOS 18.3, or iOS 18.4.

Apple aims to get to three iOS 18 updates out before the end of 2024

The full rollout of the Apple Intelligence upgrade will continue into early 2025. Apple will be rolling out Apple Intelligence features to qualifying iPhones as quickly as it can, with as many as three updates before year's end. Some major components, including big changes to Siri, may have to wait until early 2025. Apple has continued to emphasize the forthcoming Apple Intelligence features as a key element of iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS 15 Sequoia, but the new technology is coming in bits across late 2024 and into early 2025. One of the biggest pieces of the new updates is a totally revamped and more personal Siri, but the biggest upgrades to it will be among the last new features to arrive. Bloomberg is reporting that iOS 18.2 and iOS 18.3 are planned to roll out in December, following the release of iOS 18.1 in mid-October. The first big update to iOS 18 should coincide with a second expected Apple Event that will feature new and updated Macs. When the public release of iOS 18.1 arrives, it will bring only the first round of Apple Intelligence features with it. Email and Messages summaries and categorization, writing tools including summarizing and proofreading, a Clean Up feature for removing distracting objects from photos, and phone call recording and transcription will likely be the highlights. The release of iOS 18.2 will likely come in early December, bringing some marquee features that users can dig into, including lock-screen notification prioritizing, Image Playground, and Genmoji. This release would likely also be the first to include ChatGPT integration with Siri, and will expand Apple Intelligence to use localized English in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, and the UK. Apple plans iOS 18.3 as a relatively minor update to correct bugs in the features introduced in iOS 18.2, and the company is pushing for it to come out before the end of 2024. It may or may not add some of the new Siri features, such as Personal Context and deeper app integration. After the release of iOS 18.3, there will be a gap of months before the expected arrival of iOS 18.4, which should include all the upgraded Siri abilities and finally begin adding languages other than English. Chinese, French, Japanese, and Spanish are among the languages that should work natively with Apple Intelligence in the 18.4 update, expected sometime in March 2025. The various updates to iOS 18 will still have some benefits for users on iPhone models that don't qualify for the raft of Apple Intelligence features, such as greater customization of controls. However, Apple is pushing hard to entice owners of older iPhones to upgrade. Having discontinued the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max already, the company will focus on the iPhone 16 lineup over the course of 2024 and 2025 by repeatedly showcasing that all of iOS 18's main new features are part and parcel of Apple Intelligence. Apple could also be taking a big risk by spreading out the features of Apple Intelligence, particularly with the delay of local languages and the subsequent effect on international sales. The company appears to be betting that instead of a big release with a slew of new features all at once, the slower rollout of new features will keep users engaged and in "new feature discovery" mode for much longer. Being able to incorporate Apple Intelligence features into their own use cases over time rather than try and incorporate everything all at once could prove to be a benefit to users. The big downside is that Google's Android platform already has some similar AI features now, and will not be standing still on introducing new features of its own, which could turn into a serious competitive advantage for upcoming products.

Some of Siri's long-awaited AI enhancements could reach users by January

Though most of Siri's new core Apple Intelligence abilities are slated for next March, some may pop up in January, says Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple has been promising users a better Siri through its Apple Intelligence technology for a while. The hiccup is that most of the new artificial intelligence (AI) features are arriving in intervals -- spread out over the next several months. The major capabilities won't arrive until next March. But some could pop up as soon as January, at least according to Bloomberg reporter and Apple watcher Mark Gurman. In its latest Apple-focused Power On newsletter, Gurman laid out a Siri AI timeline based on information that he's received. Also: 6 AI features iPhone users can expect first on iOS 18 (and what's coming later) Released a week ago, the current iOS 18 offers none of the new Apple Intelligence features nor any enhancements to Siri. Yes, that means most iPhone users will still bump into the same faults and foibles so common to Apple's voice assistant. Next on the list is iOS 18.1, which is currently available as a public beta and officially due around mid-October. Here, we get our first dose of Apple Intelligence and a few changes to Siri. Activating Siri displays a glowing light instead of the old-fashioned orb. A new feature called Speak to Siri lets you switch between speaking and typing your requests. Also: My biggest regret with upgrading my iPhone to iOS 18 (and I'm not alone) With iOS 18.1, Siri tries to understand what you're saying even if you stumble over your words. Further, the voice assistant gains knowledge about Apple's products to help answer questions about your device. Up next is iOS 18.2 with a due date of December and enhanced with several AI-based skills, Gurman said. The new Genmoji option will use AI to generate emoji based on a description of what you want. Apple will also integrate ChatGPT into the OS so you can ask OpenAI's AI for assistance. Also in the mix will be the Image Playground app to help you design your own animated, illustrated, and sketched images to use and share across Messages, Notes, and other apps. Also: The best iOS 18 features that will make updating your iPhone worthwhile That brings us to iOS 18.3, which Apple wants to finish by the end of a year for a release in January, according to Gurman's intel. After that will be iOS 18.4, set to be completed in early February for a rollout in March. Calling iOS 18.4 the biggest update after version 18.1, Gurman outlined that it will include many of the new Siri features. However, some are in consideration for iOS 18.3. Gurman didn't specify which features are likely to land in iOS 18.3 or 18.4. Aside from the ones already mentioned, Siri is supposed to get onscreen awareness so it will be able to react to your questions and requests based on your current screen and information. Also: How to record a call on your iPhone (and check if it's legal in your state) However, I believe most Apple users are simply hoping for a more consistent and less frustrating Siri. Those of us who use Apple's voice assistant often run into obstacles where it fails to understand us, refuses to respond, gives the wrong information, or just seems completely clueless about what we are asking. If AI can make Siri more reliable and responsive, then I welcome its influence. As Gurman points out, though, the staggered rollout of Apple Intelligence could try the patience of users. In the past, the company has delayed certain key features beyond the initial launch of a new OS. But stretching out Apple Intelligence and Siri improvements over the course of several months is a new and risky tactic, especially with Apple already promoting its AI technology as it tries to sell the iPhone 16. Also: The iPhone 16 is the most-repairable iPhone yet, according to iFixit Personally, I don't mind the wait so much if Apple can deliver on its promises. But that's the crux here. If we truly have a better and brighter Siri by next January or March, then the wait will have been worth it. But if all that time goes by, and Apple fails to deliver, then the company will face a lot of disgruntled and unhappy users.