With Google and Microsoft recently using their big annual keynotes to double down on their commitment to AI in all its forms, it wasn’t hugely surprising to find that Apple has just done the same at their 2024 Worldwide Developers Conference.
Enter, Apple Intelligence
Called, naturally, Apple Intelligence, the company claims its approach will set ‘new standard[s] for privacy in AI,’ as it rolls out a ‘personal intelligence system’ for the iPhone, iPad and Mac. Microsoft recently got a lot of flack for announcing powerful AI features without fully considering their privacy implications, so it’s not surprising to find Cupertino treading more carefully with features like ‘Private Cloud Compute’.
Put simply, Apple Intelligence wants to keep AI processing locked down in a secure circuit between your Apple device and the company’s own servers, banishing any worries of third parties swooping in to learn from your data. The first fruits of the tech will be language-centric models to help with writing and proofing, a systemwide set of ‘Writing Tools’ that is not app-dependent.
Apple Intelligence forms the backbone of an overhauled Siri, which becomes a far more intuitive voice companion. Keen to regain the crown of most personal AI assistant, part of Siri’s glow up includes ChatGPT integration across all the new operating systems, without the need for a ChatGPT account. The newest build of Apple’s desktop OS, macOS Sequoia, will incorporate all these advances, as will the latest version of iOS, 18, the new iPadOS 18 and watchOS 11.
Mail will be scanned to foreground the most important messages (i.e. date or time dependent), and the same will happen for Notifications. Apple Intelligence has all this and more, such as the new audio transcription function in Notes. An AI-powered creativity app, Image Playground, taps into the thirst for image creation, as well as generative emojis, and an ‘Image Wand’ tool that can transform your circled scribbles into something more presentable.
The Photos app now has a similar background object removal tool as Google’s Pixel series, and the Memories function will whip up ‘the best photos and videos based on a user’s description, craft a storyline, and arrange it all into a movie with its own narrative arc.’
These features are all baked into to iOS 18, which also offers unprecedented levels of user control over the look and feel of their device and icon placement. On top of this, there’s the new ‘Messages via satellite function,’ which uses encrypted satellite connectivity to communicate when there’s no WiFi or cell service. The old school Keychain app has been replaced by a new password manager, called simply Passwords, and new privacy measures include the ability to lock and hide apps. Much of this functionality was also present in iPadOS 18, including the customisation options.
There were also new updates to the evergreen AirPods, further integrating Siri into the device (nod or shake your head silently to respond to Siri when using the AirPods Pro), along with the addition of Voice Isolation, designed to strip out intrusive background noise.
Apple doubled down on their commitment to the Vision Pro headset, with the announcement of an upgraded visionOS 2 and the launch of the spatial computing device in the Far East, Australia and parts of Europe. Elsewhere, Apple Watch received health-centric updates including the new Vitals app to oversee and track your sleep health, and the new watchOS 11 has better customisation features, including the ability to stack different layers of information.
We’re entering a new era of auto responses, smart summaries and transcriptions as the big tech companies throw AI functionality at every aspect of our digital lives. Where technology was once something to master and learn to manipulate, the new breed of Smart OS won’t just hold your hand, it’ll check your pulse, remember the milk, screen your calls and improve your penmanship, all without asking. Are we ready to cede our hard-won expertise to a machine that’s always one-step ahead, powered by the supposed wisdom of the crowds?
Apple WDC2024, more information at Apple.com
