Apple is expected to have one of its most groundbreaking launches Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) keynotes on Monday, as the company plans to add major artificial intelligence (AI) to their operating systems.
But rather than unveiling a series of flashy generative AI features to blow your mind, Apple is expected to focus on incorporating AI into its apps to simplify users’ daily tasks. And it will classify these functions under the name “Apple Intelligence.”
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According Bloomberg, Apple is branding its AI features as Apple Intelligence, and we didn’t miss the sarcastic pun. Apple Intelligence will include the latest AI features coming to its operating systems, including iOS, iPadOS, MacOS, and WatchOS.
Apple Intelligence focuses on high-selling AI features rather than advanced image and video generation. To do this, the company developed internal AI models and partnered with OpenAI to power a chatbot that will function similarly to ChatGPT.
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Some of the biggest AI features we expect from Apple Intelligence include:
- Improved photo editingsuch as object removal, with AI in Photos.
- Greater Siri control over apps and actions, including asking Siri to delete emails or edit photos.
- AI generation of custom emojis based on text prompts.
- Generate quick summaries of notes, text message threads, emails, and more texts.
- Automatically suggest responses for emails and messages.
- An improved mail app that can categorize emails and generate messages.
- Automatic transcription of voice notes.
- AI improvements for Xcode for code autocompletion.
In addition to these AI features, Bloomberg reports that iOS 18 will include new customizable icons and interface updates for Control Center, Settings, and Messages. Apple is also expected to release a new Password application to replace iCloud Keychain and give users a more user-friendly option, similar to 1Password and LastPass.
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On-device vs. cloud-based
Although Apple was rumored to be working on different ways to keep its AI running strictly on the device for security and privacy reasons, Apple Intelligence is expected to rely on the cloud for at least some tasks. This will depend on device complexity, resource availability, data privacy considerations, and latency requirements.
Essentially, if a task is simple enough to be processed locally, taking advantage of the device’s processing power and battery life, and requires immediate results, it is more likely to be handled on the device. Tasks involving sensitive data could also prioritize on-device processing, as Apple tries to prioritize data privacy.
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In turn, cloud-based AI processing requires sending data from the device to remote servers that can handle complex or computationally heavy tasks. In Apple’s case, tasks that require processing large amounts of data or updated models could include advanced natural language processing (NLP), complex analytics, and complex image and video generation.
Depending on its complexity and system requirements, an algorithm will determine whether a task requiring AI should be processed on the device or offloaded to the cloud. Simpler tasks, such as a Siri request and other basic NLP tasks, can be processed on the device. More complex tasks, such as generating a detailed summary of a large document, will be sent to the cloud, where more robust processing can be performed.
Technical requirements for Apple Intelligence
According to Bloomberg, Apple’s new AI features will be compatible with the latest Apple devices, including the iPhone 15 Pro or newer models, which are powered by an A17 Pro chip, and iPads and Macs with an M1 chip or newer. While these AI features may help boost sales of new iPhones and Macs, as a current iPhone 14 Pro Max owner, I hope at least some make their way to older iPhone models. We’ll know what the official compatibility list is when WWDC arrives on Monday.
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During WWDC, Apple is expected to highlight new security measures for executing AI tasks, including chip-based security in data centers for cloud-based processing. It will also reiterate its commitment to not build user profiles based on consumer data.
Perhaps most importantly, users can opt into Apple Intelligence features, which will be introduced as beta versions as Apple works to improve its AI capabilities over time.