Apple Intelligence is an artificial intelligence developed by Apple Inc.[2] Relying on a combination of on-device and server processing, it was announced on June 10, 2024, at WWDC 2024, as a built-in feature of Apple's iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia operating systems, which were announced alongside Apple Intelligence. Apple Intelligence will be free for all users with supported devices. It launched for developers and testers on July 29, 2024, in U.S. English, with the iOS 18.1, macOS 15.1, and iPadOS 18.1 developer betas, released partially in October 2024, and will fully launch by 2025.[3][4] UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and South African localized versions of English will have support by the end of 2024, while Chinese, English (India), English (Singapore), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, and Vietnamese will be added over the course of 2025.[5]
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| Developer(s) | Apple Inc. |
|---|---|
| Initial release | October 28, 2024[1] |
| Operating system | iOS 18, iPadOS 18, macOS Sequoia |
| Platform | ARM |
| Type | Artificial intelligence |
| License | Proprietary |
| Website | https://www.apple.com/apple-intelligence/ |
Models
editApple Intelligence consists of an on-device model as well as a cloud model running on servers primarily using Apple silicon. Both models consist of a generic foundation model, as well as multiple adapter models that are more specialized to particular tasks like text summarization and tone adjustment.[6]
According to a human evaluation done by Apple's machine learning division, the on-device foundation model beat or tied equivalent small models by Mistral AI, Microsoft, and Google, while the server foundation models beat the performance of OpenAI's GPT-3, while roughly matching the performance of GPT-4.[7]
Apple's cloud models are built on a Private Cloud Compute platform which is designed heavily with user privacy and end-to-end encryption in mind. Unlike other generative AI services like ChatGPT which use servers from third-parties, Apple Intelligence's cloud models are run entirely on Apple servers with custom Apple silicon hardware built for end-to-end encryption. It was also designed to make sure that the software running on said servers matches the independently verifiable software accessible to researchers. In case of a software mismatch, Apple devices will refuse to connect to the servers.[8]
Functionality and features
editWriting Tools
editApple Intelligence features writing tools that are powered by AI, including Rewrite, and Proofread. These features help enhance users' writing to make it more friendly, concise or professional, similar to Grammarly's AI writing features. It can also be used to generate summaries, key points, tables, and lists from an article or piece of writing.[9][10] GPT-4o will be available as an optional integrated part of Writing Tools.[11]
Image Playground
editApple Intelligence can be used to generate images on-device with the Image Playground app. Similarly to OpenAI's DALL-E, it can be used to generate images using AI, using phrases and descriptions to create an image with customizable styles such as Animation and Sketch.[12] In Notes, users can access Image Playground on iPad and iPhone through the Image Wand tool in the Apple Pencil palette without having to open the Image Playground app. Rough sketches made with Apple Pencil can be transformed into images.[13]
Genmoji
editUsing Apple Intelligence text-to-image models, users can create original "Genmoji" images by typing descriptions.[14] Users can pick people in photos and create Genmoji images that resemble them.[15] Similarly to emoji, Genmoji can be added inline to text messages, tapbacks, stickers and can be shared in Messages as well in third-party applications as inline messages or as stickers.[16][17]
Siri overhaul
editSiri, Apple's virtual assistant, has been updated with enhanced capabilities made possible by Apple Intelligence. The latest iteration features an updated user interface, improved natural language processing, and the option to interact via text by double tapping the home bar without enabling the feature in the Accessibility menu, or double-clicking the command key on macOS. In addition, Apple Intelligence adds the ability for Siri to use personal context from device activities to make conversations feel more natural and fluid.[11]
Apple Intelligence adds a feature called Priority Messages to the Mail app, which shows urgent emails such as same-day invitations or boarding passes, with AI generated summaries of the email.[11]
Photos
editApple's Photos app includes a feature to create custom memory movies and enhanced search capabilities. Users can describe a story, and using Apple Intelligence, selects matching photos, videos, and music. Users can also remove distractions in images with the Clean Up tool in the Photos app. Apple Intelligence identifies background objects and removes them with a tap, brush, or circle. It organizes these into a movie with a narrative arc based on identified themes. Additionally, users can search for specific photos or videos by description and/or keyword, and Apple Intelligence can pinpoint particular moments within video clips.[18]
Notifications
editUsing the Notification Summary feature, Apple Intelligence can summarize notifications from messaging apps and groups of notifications from apps so that users don't have to examine large amounts of notifications.[19] A new Reduce Interruptions focus mode silences notifications deemed unimportant while letting important notifications go through.[20]
ChatGPT integration
editAs a result of the company's partnership with OpenAI, Apple Intelligence also includes a system-wide integration with ChatGPT, allowing Siri to determine when to send certain complex user requests to ChatGPT. This system-wide integration is powered by GPT-4o.[11] ChatGPT integration is opt-in by default, with users being prompted before any data or photos are sent to ChatGPT servers and IP addresses being obscured when requests are sent to OpenAI's servers.[21] Using ChatGPT features is free for all users without needing to sign in, however paid subscribers can sign in to gain access to paid features systemwide. Apple plans to integrate other models such as Google's Gemini into the system in the future.[22]
Development
editBackground
editApple first implemented artificial intelligence features in its products with the release of Siri in the iPhone 4S in 2011.[23] In the years after its release, Apple engaged in efforts to ensure its artificial intelligence operations remained covert; according to University of California, Berkeley professor Trevor Darrell, the company's secrecy deterred graduate students.[24] The company started expanding its artificial intelligence team in 2015,[25] opening up its operations by publishing more scientific papers and joining AI industry research groups.[26] Apple reportedly acquired more AI companies from 2016 to 2020.[27] In 2017, Apple released the iPhone 8 and the iPhone X with the A11 Bionic processor, which featured its first dedicated Neural Engine for accelerating common machine learning tasks.[28] Despite its investments in artificial intelligence, Siri was criticized both by reviewers[29] and internally at Apple[30] for lagging behind other AI assistants.
The rapid development of generative artificial intelligence and the release of ChatGPT in late 2022 reportedly blindsided Apple executives and forced the company to refocus its efforts on AI.[31][32] In an interview with Good Morning America, Apple CEO Tim Cook stated that generative AI had "great promise" but had some potential dangers, and that it was "looking closely" at ChatGPT. It was first reported in July 2023 that Apple was creating its own internal large language model, codenamed "Ajax".[31] In October 2023, Apple was reportedly on track to release generative AI features into its operating systems by 2024, including a significantly redeveloped Siri.[32] In an earnings call in February 2024, Cook stated that the company was spending a "tremendous amount of time and effort" into AI features that would be shared "later that year".[33]
Supported devices
editAll Macs and iPads with an M-series Apple silicon chip will support Apple Intelligence with the release of macOS Sequoia and iPadOS 18. iPhones and iPads with the A17 Pro chip or later will also be supported with the release of iOS 18.[34] Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo speculates that the RAM requirements of the on-device model prohibits Apple Intelligence from running on older iPhone models.[35]
Macs
edit- MacBook Air (M1, 2020) or later
- MacBook Pro (M1, 2020) or later
- Mac Mini (M1, 2020) or later
- Mac Pro (M2 Ultra, 2023)
- Mac Studio (M1/M2 Max/Ultra, 2022) or later
- iMac (M1, 2021) or later
iPads
edit- iPad Pro (M1, 5th generation, 2021) or later
- iPad Air (M1, 5th generation, 2022) or later
- iPad mini (A17 Pro, 7th generation, 2024) or later
iPhones
edit- iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max or later
- iPhone 16 and 16 Plus or later
See also
edit- Multimodal large language model – Type of artificial neural network
References
edit- ^ Apple Intelligence Available Today (October 28, 2024)
- ^ "Apple's AI plans, iOS 18, and more at WWDC 2024". The Verge. June 10, 2024. Archived from the original on June 11, 2024. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
- ^ "Apple Intelligence Preview". Apple. Archived from the original on June 13, 2024. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
- ^ Davis, Wes (June 16, 2024). "Apple won't wait until next year for some Siri improvements". The Verge. Vox Media. Archived from the original on June 17, 2024. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
- ^ "Apple Intelligence comes to iPhone, iPad, and Mac starting next month. iOS 18.1 was released today". Apple Newsroom (Hong Kong). Retrieved October 20, 2024.
- ^ "Introducing Apple's On-Device and Server Foundation Models". Apple Machine Learning Research. Archived from the original on June 15, 2024. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
- ^ Lambert, Nathan (June 12, 2024). "AI for the rest of us". Interconnects. Archived from the original on June 15, 2024. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
- ^ "Private Cloud Compute: A new frontier for AI privacy in the cloud". Apple Security Research. June 10, 2024. Archived from the original on June 11, 2024. Retrieved June 11, 2024.
- ^ Chedraoui, Katelyn (June 11, 2024). "Did Apple Intelligence's 'Rewrite' Tool Just Kill Grammarly?". CNET. Archived from the original on June 12, 2024. Retrieved June 12, 2024.
- ^ Lovejoy, Ben (June 11, 2024). "Apple Intelligence: The features I can't wait to try". 9to5Mac. Archived from the original on June 12, 2024. Retrieved June 12, 2024.
- ^ a b c d "Introducing Apple Intelligence for iPhone, iPad, and Mac". Apple Newsroom. June 10, 2024. Archived from the original on June 15, 2024. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
- ^ Zivkovic, Marko (June 17, 2024). "How Apple plans to label AI-generated images made through its new Image Playground app". AppleInsider. Retrieved August 25, 2024.
- ^ Clover, Juli (August 23, 2024). "iOS 18 Notes App: All the New Features". MacRumors. Retrieved August 25, 2024.
- ^ Rutherford, Sam (June 10, 2024). "In case there weren't enough emoji already, Apple's Genmoji uses AI to generate even more". Engadget. Archived from the original on June 24, 2024. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
- ^ Jones, D. Griffin (June 10, 2024). "Image Playground and Genmoji bring AI images to iMessage and more". Cult of Mac. Archived from the original on June 11, 2024. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
- ^ Murphy, Darragh (June 10, 2024). "WWDC 2024: Genmoji lets you create your own emojis with 'Apple Intelligence'". Mashable. Archived from the original on June 12, 2024. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
- ^ Joseph, Melwyn (June 11, 2024). "How to Use Genmoji - Steps Explained". Stealth Optional. Archived from the original on June 24, 2024. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
- ^ Perez, Sarah (June 10, 2024). "Apple revamps its Photos app for iOS 18". TechCrunch. Retrieved June 12, 2024.
- ^ "iOS 18.1 Beta Now Offers Notification Summaries for All Apps". MacRumors. August 28, 2024. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
- ^ "How to use Reduce Interruptions on iOS 18 and what it does". AppleInsider. July 31, 2024. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
- ^ Edu, Jide (June 14, 2024). "Apple insists its ChatGPT tie-up will protect users' privacy: here are the questions it must answer first". The Conversation. Archived from the original on June 26, 2024. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
- ^ Perry, Alex (June 11, 2024). "Apple plans to work with Google's Gemini, other AI models". Mashable. Archived from the original on June 15, 2024. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
- ^ Olson, Parmy. "Steve Jobs Leaves A Legacy In A.I. With Siri". Forbes. Archived from the original on November 28, 2023. Retrieved July 6, 2024.
- ^ Clark, Jack (October 29, 2015). "Apple's Deep Learning Curve". Bloomberg News. Archived from the original on May 26, 2023. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
- ^ Love, Julia (September 7, 2015). "Exclusive: Apple ups hiring, but faces obstacles to making phones smarter". Reuters. Archived from the original on November 19, 2015. Retrieved July 6, 2024.
- ^ "Apple Set to Join Amazon, Google, Facebook in AI Research Group". Bloomberg.com. January 26, 2017. Archived from the original on July 6, 2024. Retrieved July 6, 2024.
- ^ "Apple Bought the Most AI Companies From 2016 to 2020". MacRumors. March 25, 2021. Archived from the original on May 20, 2024. Retrieved July 6, 2024.
- ^ "The future is here: iPhone X". Apple Newsroom. Archived from the original on April 1, 2018. Retrieved July 6, 2024.
- ^ Vincent, James (October 4, 2021). "Hey Siri, what happened?". The Verge. Archived from the original on June 12, 2024. Retrieved July 6, 2024.
- ^ "Former Apple Employees Reflect on Siri's 'Squandered Lead' Over Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant". MacRumors. March 14, 2018. Archived from the original on February 23, 2024. Retrieved July 6, 2024.
- ^ a b "Apple Tests 'Apple GPT,' Develops Generative AI Tools to Catch OpenAI". Bloomberg.com. July 19, 2023. Archived from the original on July 6, 2024. Retrieved July 6, 2024.
- ^ a b "Apple Generative AI Features and Smarter Siri Could Launch Next Year". MacRumors. October 22, 2023. Archived from the original on June 14, 2024. Retrieved July 6, 2024.
- ^ "Apple Spending a 'Tremendous Amount of Time and Effort' on AI, Details Coming 'Later This Year'". MacRumors. February 1, 2024. Archived from the original on July 6, 2024. Retrieved July 6, 2024.
- ^ Nield, David (June 11, 2024). "Apple Intelligence: here's a full list of the iPhones, iPads and Macs that'll get Apple's new AI powers". TechRadar. Archived from the original on June 11, 2024. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
- ^ Kuo, Ming-Chi (June 11, 2024). "How Apple defines on-device AI and future trends — from the perspective of analyzing supported models of Apple Intelligence". Medium. Archived from the original on June 15, 2024. Retrieved June 15, 2024.