Here are the top AI features coming to iPhone, iPad, and Mac

Hey there!

Apple just dropped some serious AI (or Apple Intelligence as they like to call it) updates with the new iPhone 16, and it's all about what they're calling "Apple Intelligence." Let's dive into the juicy details and see what all the buzz is about.

On-device generative models

Apple is doubling down on AI, but with a twist. They're making sure all the AI processing happens right on your device. Yep, no cloud needed! (Unless absolutely necessary). This means faster, smarter, and most importantly, more private interactions.

It's all about keeping your data safe and sound.

Apple did mention that more advanced generative models hosted on its Private Cloud Compute will work together with local models if a particular request requires it.

Writing tools

You can think of new Writing tools like having an integrated ChatGPT within your apps, similar to what Grammarly does with its custom keyboard.

Features like rewriting, proofreading, and summarizing text across a wide range of native as well as third-party apps will be available using the on-device generative models.

I'm personally looking forward to this one!

Visual Intelligence

One of the coolest features is "Visual Intelligence." Imagine pointing your camera at a restaurant and instantly getting related reviews or menus.

Powered by AI, interacting with the world through the iPhone's lens in real-time will open up new capabilities.

Notifications summaries

I have to admit, sometimes when I want to clean up the list of notifications on my lock screen, I end up removing some from many, many weeks ago. The thing is, since a lot of notifications are repetitive or not a priority to me, they end up being neglected.

With this update, and thanks to machine learning and the on-board models, your devices will be able to prioritize important notifications so you can get to the things that matter to you first.

Pretty nice, I have to say, and I'd like to see this in action.

Enhanced camera capabilities

Speaking of cameras, the iPhone 16 packs a 48-megapixel main camera and an autofocusing ultra-wide camera. But that's not all—AI takes your photo and video editing to the next level. Think customizable skin tones for photos and slow-motion video capture at 4K 120fps with post-capture adjustments.

Your Instagram game is about to get a serious upgrade! 😉

Search photos by describing what you remember

Plus, are you looking for a specific photo or video but can't seem to find it in your photo library? Even if you don't remember the specifics, you can just describe it and your iPhone will find it for you! Apple also said that their AI model will also look within videos to help you find what you're looking for.

Siri and interaction improvements

While Apple didn't spill all the beans on Siri, they did hint at better natural language processing and more contextual awareness. Thanks to the new A18 chip, Siri is set to become even more intuitive and helpful.

In-app actions

Also (and this one is pretty interesting), Siri will be able to take action on your behalf. You could say things like: "Hey Siri, send all the photos from last month's BBQ to Jamie via Message" and just like that, you'll be able to send a bunch of photos instead of manually looking for, selecting, and sharing them.

And to be honest, a Siri upgrade is quite overdue.

Custom emojis

Describe how you feel then hit generate. Bam! You'll soon be able to generate custom emojis that can be used anywhere you type. Cute.

New "AI-ready" hardware

The new A18 chip is impressive, Apple claims it's 30% faster than its predecessor. The chip upgrade is crucial for running complex AI models locally, ensuring that all these features run smoothly without relying on the cloud.

Privacy focus

Apple is sticking to its guns on privacy. All these AI features use data that are never stored or shared. They're using on-device machine learning models to keep everything secure. So you get all the benefits of AI without compromising your privacy.

Conclusion

I'm looking forward to testing the on-device models. As I've mentioned in other posts, I often use Grammarly, ChatGPT, and other tools for text improvements and adjustments, but most (if not all) third-party apps are expensive and require transferring my data to the cloud.

Having said that, capable generative models that are available offline, are a welcome addition! One potential downside is that we'll all write similarly "sounding" like each other... Perhaps...

It's important to note that while some of these features are not new for Android users, they are new to the iPhone, Macbooks, iPads, and other Apple devices. If you own a couple of Apple devices like me, I'm pretty sure all the "AI" stuff is something to look forward to.

So, what do you think? Are you excited about these new AI features? Drop a comment below and let me know!

Cheers!