Apple brings GenAI 'Intelligence' to iPhone, iPad, and Mac. 10 key features

Apple has launched its much-awaited AI feature Apple Intelligence for iPhone, iPad, and Mac users, which is available through a free software update with iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1.

Apple says it is supported on iPhone 16 models, iPhone 15 Pro models, iPads with A17 Pro or M1 chips and later, and Macs with M1 or later.

What's Apple Intelligence?

Apple Intelligence is a "personal intelligence system" that can generate language, create images, and perform actions across apps by leveraging personal context. "Today marks the availability of the first set of features, with many more rolling out in the coming months," said Apple. Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, describes Apple Intelligence as "generative AI in a way that only Apple can deliver."

10 Key Features of Apple Intelligence:

1. Writing Tools: Writing Tools help refine language by rewriting, proofreading, and summarising text in mail, messages, notes, pages, and third-party apps. Users can choose different tones and receive grammar and sentence suggestions.

2. Enhanced Siri: Apple says Siri's natural, flexible, and integrated approach can maintain context between requests, follow along when users stumble over words, and answer questions on Apple product features and settings.

3. Photos Search: Users can now find pictures or videos in the Photos app using natural language search.

4. Clean Up Tool: This feature helps users remove distracting elements from photos.

5. Memories Feature: Users can create movies by typing a description. Apple Intelligence selects the best photos and videos, crafts a storyline, and arranges them into a movie based on identified themes.

6. Priority Messages: A new section at the top of the inbox shows the most urgent emails, such as same-day invitations or boarding passes. Users can read summaries without opening messages.

7. Notification Summaries: Apple Intelligence scans long or stacked notifications, providing key details on the Lock Screen. In Notes and the Phone app, users can record, transcribe, and summarise audio.

8. Genmoji: Users can create original Genmoji by typing a description, with the option to personalise them using a photo of a friend or family member.

9. Upcoming Writing Tools Features: In December, Apple says Writing Tools will gain the ability to describe specific changes to text, such as making a dinner invitation sound like a poem or adding action words to a resume.

10. Priority Notifications: In the coming months, Siri will use personal context to deliver priority notifications tailored to each user.