Apple Intelligence: The Brainchild of Siri’s Union with ChatGPT

During this conference, the Cupertino Giant presented new operating systems iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia. There was also a brief overview of the latest visionOS system and changes in watchOS and tvOS software. However, the most important element of the meeting was the block dedicated to artificial intelligence by Apple, the so-called Apple Intelligence.

Apple Redefines Artificial Intelligence

Apple Intelligence is a marketing ploy by the tech company, suggesting that they offer something more than just generative artificial intelligence. And it’s hard not to believe them when you see the capabilities of Siri, ChatGPT, and the latest Apple systems. Add to that security, data encryption, and privacy preservation, and we get the artificial intelligence we all dream of. Craig Federighi (SVP, Software Engineering) presented the capabilities of Apple Intelligence, which we can certainly describe as the most practical and productive incarnation of AI.

Until now, we’ve mainly dealt with rather general generative artificial intelligence, which generates content, video, graphics, or audio through magical prompts. This in itself obviously gives infinite possibilities, but also requires some knowledge and idea from the user on where and how they’d like to apply these capabilities. Thanks to Apple Intelligence, we can talk about AI support for specific daily activities – professional and private – specifically those we already performed using an Apple smartphone.

The Most Private and Personalised AI on the Market

According to Apple’s assurances, most processes related to artificial intelligence will be carried out from the level of devices in the company’s ecosystem. In cases where operations will require cloud processing, they will still remain private. How? Apple has created servers with a dedicated cloud for users, and data processed as part of AI commands is encrypted. This means that our data will neither be stored nor shared with anyone but us. Thus, the burden of training artificial intelligence rests with the partner – in this case, OpenAI. According to Federighi, the partnership with ChatGPT’s creator is just the beginning, as the company is moving towards an open relationship and inviting other partners to collaborate.

Apple Intelligence will be based not only on data from the Internet but also connected to our data. The assistant will have access to our emails, contacts, SMS, phone calls, calendars, or other data – also from other developers’ applications. Thus, when an email with a meeting invitation appears, our AI assistant will save a reminder, put the meeting in the calendar, and update the map with the address. Just enter a command to Siri (by voice or text), e.g. about a meeting with the boss, and Siri will quickly find the appropriate contact and messages on this specific matter.

Finally – Smarter and More Human Siri

It looks like users of the latest beta systems will be able to use new AI-based features as early as this summer. Then, the first testers will be able to talk to Siri in English. More language versions will be made available later this year, and a multilingual premiere is announced for next year. Will French, German or Polish be available, and when? There’s no answer to this question yet, but looking at the work on our native language so far – probably not soon.

Apple’s assistant will also gain access to ChatGPT functionality with the GPT-4o model. It will be a fully integrated service available, among others, on macOS systems, invoked in a special window. Interestingly, we won’t need to have an OpenAI account to use ChatGPT. Chatbot functions are to be available for free to Apple users.

Artificial intelligence in the Service of Productivity

During the WWDC 2024 conference, we could see how Apple Intelligence will be integrated with built-in applications. New photo capabilities were presented, where we’ll be able to edit files (e.g. removing selected objects from them) and search photos or videos using text. Automatic responses in the Mail app, editing email content based on given styles (formal or private), generating content in notes, summarising phone conversations, or generating images for presentations – these are other useful features that Apple Intelligence is to provide. One of the novelties announced as “absolutely unique” is Genmoji, or generating your own emoticons based on conversations with our friends.

Encouraged? And these aren’t even all the new features announced by Apple. See how Apple Intelligence works in the video below or check out the official website for more detailed discussions of new features.