Apple WWDC 2024: AI, iOS 18 and More in Less than Six Minutes | WSJ

Summary

Apple unveils its AI system, 'Apple intelligence,' integrating it across iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. The update includes a smarter Siri with enhanced privacy, typing capabilities, and personal data understanding. New features such as generative AI for writing tools, emoji creation, and image search are introduced. Voice transcription and prioritized notifications round out the enhancements, initially available on the latest iPhone 15 Pro models, iPads, and Macs with M chips, and in English only.

Takeaways

• 🧠 **Apple Intelligence**: Apple's AI system is being integrated into iPhone, Mac, and iPad operating systems.
• 🗣️ **Siri Enhancements**: Siri is evolving to be smarter, understanding personal information while maintaining privacy through on-device or cloud compute systems.
• 💬 **Conversational Siri**: Siri can now be interacted with via typing, making it more chatbot-like and capable of understanding screen content.
• 🔍 **Siri's New Abilities**: Siri can find information across apps, even if the user doesn't remember where it's located, and autofill forms with personal data.
• 🤖 **Siri and Chat GPT**: Siri will collaborate with Chat GPT for tasks it can't handle, offering access to paid features for subscribers.
• 📝 **Writing Tools**: Generative AI will be used for summarizing, rewriting, and proofreading text across various Apple apps.
• 🎨 **Generative Imagery**: Apple introduces 'gen Emoji', allowing users to create custom emojis through descriptions.
• 🖼️ **Image Playground**: A new app for quick image creation with various styles, integrated into messages and pages.
• 🔍 **Improved Photo Search**: Apple intelligence enhances photo search capabilities with more specific criteria and a cleanup tool for background removal.
• 📝 **Voice Transcription**: Apple is introducing on-device AI transcription in the Notes app, with summarization capabilities and similar features for call recording.
• 🔔 **Smart Notifications**: AI will prioritize notifications, with the most important appearing at the top for quick attention.
• 📅 **Release Timeline**: Apple intelligence features will roll out in iOS 18, iPad OS 18, and Mac OS Sequoia, initially in beta this summer, with full availability in English later in the year.
• 🚫 **Hardware Requirements**: Some new AI features are exclusive to the latest iPhone 15 Pro models and devices with M chips or later.

Q & A

What is Apple intelligence mentioned in the script?

Apple intelligence refers to Apple's AI system that is integrated throughout its iPhone, Mac, and iPad operating systems.

How often was the term 'Apple intelligence' mentioned in the conference?

The term 'Apple intelligence' was mentioned approximately 60 times during the announcements.

What is the main goal of the improvements to Siri mentioned in the script?

The main goal is to make Siri smarter and more capable with personal information while keeping user data private through on-device models or Apple's private Cloud compute system.

How does the new Siri enhance user interaction?

The new Siri can understand users better, even when they make mistakes in their speech, and allows typing to interact more like a chatbot.

What is the significance of Siri being able to understand what appears on the user's screen?

This feature allows Siri to find information even if the user doesn't remember where it is, such as in a message, email, or note, and can work across apps.

What is the role of chat GPT in the new Siri updates?

When Siri doesn't know how to perform a task, it can ask for permission to use chat GPT, and users can connect their chat GPT accounts to access paid features.

What writing tools does Apple intelligence offer in its new update?

Apple intelligence offers generative AI models that can summarize, rewrite, and proofread text in various apps, and also suggest responses with different tones.

What is 'gen Emoji' and how does it work?

'Gen Emoji' is a feature that allows users to generate new emojis by adding a description, which can then be used as reactions or stickers in messages.

What is the 'image playground' app mentioned in the script?

The 'image playground' app is a new feature that lets users create images in seconds with various styles like animations, sketches, or illustrations by providing a description.

How will Apple intelligence improve photo search and editing?

Apple intelligence will allow more specific photo searches and includes a cleanup tool to remove objects or people in the background of photos, similar to Google's Magic erase feature.

What is the new voice transcription feature in the notes app?

The new voice transcription feature in the notes app uses AI to transcribe spoken words into text and also offers a summary of the transcript.

How will Apple prioritize notifications with its AI system?

Apple will use AI to prioritize notifications, placing the most important ones at the top of the stack for users to see at a glance.

When will Apple intelligence start appearing in Apple's operating systems?

Apple intelligence will start appearing in iOS 18, iPad OS 18, and Mac OS Sequoia, first in beta versions in the summer, and more broadly in the fall.

What are the hardware requirements for the new AI features introduced by Apple?

The new AI features require the latest iPhone 15 Pro lineup and iPads, as well as Macs running the M chip or later.

What are the two main limitations mentioned for the new Apple intelligence features?

The two main limitations are that not all features will be available right away, with some coming by the end of the year or even next year, and that the features are initially only available in English.