SAN FRANCISCO: On Monday, Apple launched its first set of artificial intelligence features, branded as Apple Intelligence, for its premium iPhone, iPad, and Mac devices, signaling the company‘s significant entry into the generative AI arena.
Initially previewed in June, this release positions Apple among the tech giants—including Google, Microsoft, and Amazon—racing to adopt ChatGPT-style technology, as they believe generative AI represents the next phase of computing.
“Apple Intelligence is generative AI in a way that only Apple can deliver, and we’re incredibly excited about its ability to enrich our users’ lives,” stated Apple CEO Tim Cook in a blog post.
The new features include enhanced writing tools, improved photo search capabilities, and a more conversational Siri virtual assistant. Apple also plans to integrate ChatGPT’s capabilities into its services by December.
Upcoming features for December will allow users to generate custom emojis and create images from text descriptions. Currently, these capabilities are mainly available on the latest iPhones and iPads, as well as Mac computers, and are initially offered only in US English.
Versions in Chinese, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Korean, and other languages are expected to launch in the coming year.
At the June launch event, Apple had postponed the rollout of Apple Intelligence in the European Union indefinitely due to “regulatory uncertainties” surrounding new legislation. However, the company announced that most features will be accessible in the EU on Mac computers in US English and will begin rolling out on iPhones and iPads starting in April.
Apple Intelligence also includes system-wide writing tools that can rewrite and proofread text, along with the capability to remove unwanted objects from images. These features bear similarities to tools recently introduced by Meta, Microsoft, and Google.
In response to concerns about AI safety, Apple emphasized that its technology prioritizes user privacy by keeping processing on-device or utilizing a new “Private Cloud” system, ensuring that personal data remains within the Apple ecosystem.
Additionally, Apple unveiled a new desktop computer, the iMac, on Monday, featuring Apple Intelligence.
