Apple Launches Public Beta of Its New Intelligence AI Suite
Apple releases the public beta for its generative AI platform across iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, bringing new writing tools and Siri upgrades to select users.
Apple launches the public beta of Apple Intelligence across iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1, giving enrolled users their first taste of the company's generative AI features. The update currently supports only U.S. English and is unavailable in the EU and China due to regulatory hurdles. Compatible hardware includes the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and the entire iPhone 16 lineup.
The update introduces several standout AI capabilities, including system-wide Writing Tools that proofread, summarize, and rewrite text in different tones like professional and friendly. The Mail app gains Smart Reply, message prioritization, and summaries, while the Photos app features a Clean Up tool that removes unwanted objects from images similar to Google Magic Eraser. Additionally, users can now generate Memories using simple text prompts and search their photo library with natural language.
Siri receives its most significant visual and functional overhaul since its original debut, replacing the bottom-screen icon with illuminated screen borders that do not block content. The assistant now better understands stammered speech, accepts typed input for silent interactions, and answers questions about how to perform on-device tasks like screen recording. Users who install the public beta must manually join the Apple Intelligence waitlist through their device settings to access these features.