The big picture: Apple has launched its answer to the generative AI models and features offered by the likes of OpenAI, Google, and Microsoft. Although Apple Intelligence is now available to owners of compatible devices, many of its intended features are still slated for release in the coming months. Furthermore, leaked internal communications suggest that its capabilities currently fall significantly behind those of ChatGPT.
New Apple Intelligence features are now available on recent iPhone models, iPads, and Macs. Users can access the generative AI suite by updating the operating systems to iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1.
Supported devices include the iPhone 15 Pro, all iPhone 16 models, and all devices with Apple M-series processors. Apple Intelligence currently only supports US English. The December update will add support for Australian, Canadian, Irish, New Zealand, South African, and UK English. Beginning in April and continuing throughout 2025, Apple will expand support to Chinese, Indian English, French, German, Spanish, and additional languages.
With the Writing Tools function, Apple Intelligence can edit, summarize, and rewrite text in Mail, Notes, Pages, Messages, and other apps. It can proofread, make alterations, and explain its editing choices to enhance users’ writing, similar to Grammarly. Moreover, selected text can be condensed into bullet points, lists, or tables.
The summarization feature also works on notifications, long message chains, and recorded phone calls. When Apple Intelligence begins recording, all participants are immediately notified.
Following a December update, Writing Tools will be able to make more specific changes based on natural language prompts. For instance, users can ask it to make an invitation sound poetic or to enhance a resume.
Apple Intelligence also enhances Siri, making it function more like ChatGPT. The virtual assistant now responds to spoken and typed natural language prompts for answering questions.
Additionally, users can search for photos using natural language descriptions, and a clean-up tool helps remove objects from photos with minimal impact. Apple has opted for a light-touch approach to AI image editing compared to Samsung, accusing its competitors of turning reliable photos into fantasy. The December update will enable users to generate emojis and cartoon images or turn simple sketches into more complex pictures.
Another forthcoming feature leverages Camera Control, introduced with the iPhone 16, to provide information about photographed objects and places. Third-party developers can also use Camera Control to create custom features.
Some of these new features, particularly Writing Tools and Siri, partially rely on ChatGPT – an indication that Apple Intelligence isn’t yet on par with OpenAI’s influential chatbot.
Cupertino’s own research indicates that ChatGPT remains approximately 25 percent more accurate and can answer 30 percent more queries than Apple Intelligence. However, Apple’s financial muscle and market power could help close the gap.
