Apple recently announced Apple Intelligence, a new personal intelligence system that promises to revolutionize the way we interact with our devices, leveraging generative models to deliver highly relevant and useful features by integrating personal context across iPhone, iPad, and Mac. But what exactly is Apple Intelligence, and what can it do?

Understanding & Creating Language

Apple Intelligence introduces new tools to help users improve their writing and communication. With the new Writing Tools available in iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia, users can easily rewrite, proofread, and summarize text in apps like Mail, Notes, Pages, and even third-party apps.

New features will also be available within the Mail app, with your devices now able to highlight the most urgent emails at the top of your inbox, such as same-day dinner invitations or boarding passes and instead of just seeing the first few lines of an email, you’ll now get a summary, making it easier to decide which emails to open. The new Smart Reply feature will provide you quick response suggestions and identifies questions in emails to ensure you don't miss anything important.

In the Notes and Phone apps, you’ll be able to record, transcribe, and summarize audio. If you start a recording during a call, participants are notified, and after the call ends, Apple Intelligence provides a summary to help you remember key points.

These new features make it easier than ever to write clearly, manage emails efficiently, and stay on top of important notifications.

Image Generation

Image Playground and Genmoji allow users to create and share images from text prompts. With Image Playground, users can effortlessly craft fun images in three distinct styles: Animation, Illustration, and Sketch. Image Playground is straightforward to use, built into apps like Messages, and also available as a standalone app.

Genmoji lets you create personalized custom emoji that reflect your personality and style, so you can express exactly what you want to say without the need for words. AI-generated emoji can be created with text prompts like "smiley relaxing wearing cucumbers" or "t-rex wearing a tutu on a surfboard" and can be added inline to messages, shared as a sticker, or used as a reaction in a Tapback.

Images courtesy of Apple

Siri

Siri, powered by Apple Intelligence, now offers deeper integration and enhanced language understanding, making it more natural, contextually aware, and personal. You’re also now no longer tied to interacting with Siri exclusively via voice with users now able to switch between text and voice interactions seamlessly.

Siri is also able to provide device support and assistance, with the ability to answer thousands of questions about how to do something across iPhone, iPad, and Mac. With onscreen awareness, Siri can interact with content in various apps, like adding addresses from messages. It can execute hundreds of new actions, such as retrieving articles or sending photos, and delivers tailored intelligence based on user information. For example you could ask, “When is Mum’s flight landing?” and Siri will find the flight details and cross-reference them with real-time flight tracking to give an arrival time.

Privacy

Perhaps the most impressive aspect of Apple Intelligence is its commitment to privacy. Unlike other AI systems that rely on cloud-based processing, Apple Intelligence keeps your data on your device. This ensures that your personal information remains secure and private.

Image courtesy of Apple

Overall, Apple Intelligence represents a strong first foray into the field of AI for Apple. With its ability to understand and create language, summarize text, rewrite text, and answer questions, Apple Intelligence has the potential to transform the way we use our iPhones, iPads, and Macs.

This is just a starting point, of course. Apple Intelligence is a powerful new technology with a wide range of potential applications. It will be interesting to see how developers and users alike leverage this new tool when they get their hands on it.