Apple Intelligence: The iPhone’s latest and planned AI features

One of the most significant updates to Siri is that users can now ask the voice assistant how to do things like record the screen, reset the Air Tag, and more.

Some of the most anticipated features, such as app context and the much-hyped Visual Intelligence, are still in development.

Apple may be late to introduce AI features to the iPhone, iPad, and Mac, but its most recent software update has some quite helpful functions.

The new AI-powered features, dubbed “Apple Intelligence,” began trickling out today to everyone who has updated their device to iOS 18.1 beta, iPad OS 18.1 beta, and MacOS  Sequoia 15.1 beta.

The Cupertino-based tech behemoth initially announced these changes in June at WWDC 2024, claiming that iOS 18 will change the way you use your iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

Some of these capabilities will be available in the coming months on Apple’s iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, iPhone 16 series, as well as iPads and Macs.

However, Apple Intelligence is currently only available for residents of the United States. Here’s a list of new AI features that are presently available on iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and MacOS Sequioa 15.1, as well as upcoming ones.

One of the most significant updates to Siri is that users can now ask the voice assistant how to do things like record the screen, reset the Air Tag, and more.

Some of the most anticipated features, such as app context and the much-hyped Visual Intelligence, are still in development.

With iOS 18.1 beta, users may now use Apple’s Writing Tools to improve their words by instructing AI to edit, proofread, and summarize content.

According to Apple, new Writing capabilities will function across all apps, including stock apps such as Mail, Notes, and Pages.

The summarized alerts feature, powered by Apple Intelligence, automatically summaries alerts from various apps and introduces a new Focus mode dubbed Reduce Interruptions, which only displays messages that demand your immediate attention.

The Mail program that comes pre-installed can now sort Priority Messages based on context. The app will display a summarize version of an email rather than the opening few lines.

Apple has also improved its Photos app with a number of new features. Similar to Google Magic Eraser, a Clean Up tool is now available, which allows you to eliminate things from an image by generating a background over it.

Other capabilities include the ability to search for photographs using natural language and create Memories with a simple text prompt.

Apple said many new Apple Intelligence features will be added to the iPhone 15 Pro and 16 series “later this year and in the months following.”

This features “Image Playground,” an AI-powered picture generator that allows you to create images from scratch, and “Image Wand,” a new feature that converts your sketches into images.

The long-awaited emoji feature, which allows you to create a new emoji from a text prompt like or an existing image, will also be accessible in the coming months.

Siri’s capabilities will grow in the coming months, with the AI-powered personal assistant able to understand the context and content on your screen and provide customize experiences.

Apple claims that this intelligence will be applicable to both first and third-party apps.

Siri will soon be able to use to execute certain difficult queries. However, the user will be asked first if they wish to forward the query to the AI chatbot.

Unlike other smartphone makers, who pre-install AI features, you must explicitly activate Apple Intelligence on your device.

To do so, go to the Settings app and select Join the Apple Intelligence waitlist from the Apple Intelligence section.

If you are not already a member of Apple’s public beta program, visit beta.apple.com and follow the steps to join.

Apple has yet to provide a firm schedule for when the next AI features will be added to iOS 18, but it has stated that Apple Intelligence will be available sometime next year.