Apple has announced it is joining the artificial intelligence game and is partnering with ChatGPT maker OpenAI to integrate the technology into its devices, including iPhone, iPad and MacBook.
At its annual Worldwide Developers Conference Monday, the tech giant unveiled "Apple Intelligence," a new slate of AI features that the company said will be able to automatically manage notifications, summarize texts and emails, understand and create language and images, and much more.
The features will make use of OpenAI's flagship product ChatGPT. Updates will be available later this year starting in iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia.
AI services highlighted in Apple's keynote include context-driven notifications, basic image generation tools and writing and proofreading tools. Services will be opt-in and at least some will be available for free to users with compatible software.
"We’re thrilled to introduce a new chapter in Apple innovation. Apple Intelligence will transform what users can do with our products — and what our products can do for our users," Apple CEO Tim Cook said in a statement. "Our unique approach combines generative AI with a user’s personal context to deliver truly helpful intelligence. And it can access that information in a completely private and secure way to help users do the things that matter most to them. This is AI as only Apple can deliver it, and we can’t wait for users to experience what it can do."
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Everyone's favorite robot — Siri — will also now be able to work as a personal assistant, of sorts, by doing tasks assigned to it and understanding which apps to use to complete those tasks. For example, the company said users will be able to ask Siri to enter their driver's license number in an online document, and Siri will be able to scan through that person's entire photo library, find the specific photo of the driver's license, and automatically copy and paste the driver's license number for you.
The widely anticipated announcement comes as Apple looks to make up some of the ground lost to companies like Google and Meta — which have both already started integrating AI into some of their products.
The company's reach is expected to be significant. There are more than a billion iPhone users worldwide, many of whom will get their first taste of AI tools through Apple's products.
