Generative AI tools snuck into the pockets of millions more Australians this week as Apple launched its big push into the technology.
The software updates delivered to smartphones, computers and tablets promise to help users compose stories and messages, edit images or create them and identify objects from the real world.
But Apple’s AI tools come almost a full year after its biggest rival launched artificial intelligence in smartphones and four months after one of the world’s biggest tech companies made its AI play.
Industry experts say Apple may still have one big drawcard for consumers, however, and it relies on keeping its promise to keep their personal information private.
Apple Intelligence features arrived inside software updates delivered to the company’s devices on Thursday.
Rather than appear in a single app, the US tech giant has scattered AI tools throughout its menus, offering writing assistance in its own apps like Notes, for example, as well as those from third parties, and notification summaries from all apps as they arrive.
Apple’s AI additions also offer a photo-editing tool that removes objects in images and Visual Intelligence that uses photos to search for real-world objects.
The company’s AI tools have taken longer to arrive than many expected, University of the Sunshine Coast computer science lecturer Dr Erica Mealy says, but Apple could not avoid making an investment in the popular technology.
“Apple had to put AI in their devices or they were definitely going to be left behind but I don’t think that’s necessarily a disadvantage because Apple often does that and does it better,” she says.
“They are more of an everyman’s technology company, whereas some of the others tend to bring out the technology really soon.”
Apple’s biggest rival, Samsung, launched Galaxy AI in its devices in January and Google followed in August, bringing more Gemini-powered tools to the latest generation of Pixel smartphones for rewriting text, producing images and even swapping faces in photographs.
The iPhone’s AI delay might not be the drawback it seems on paper, Dr Mealy says, if the company can convince customers their take on the technology is more practical and private.
“Their approach is refreshing because a lot of the others are saying, ‘AI is here, let’s give all the data to AI,’ and they’re forgetting the fact that for the AI to be aware it needs to watch us constantly,” she says.
“If (Apple) can tell users a story about keeping more privacy or about how they are doing AI better that will be interesting to see.”
Apple’s AI approach is different in that features are not only spread across apps but use two models: the company’s own Apple Intelligence system and OpenAI’s ChatGPT.
In the first instance, AI requests on Apple devices are handled by the company’s own platform, with processing on the device itself or on a Private Cloud Compute server that does not retain the data.
More complex AI tasks such as composing stories or answering challenging queries posed to Siri can be handed over to ChatGPT but only if the user grants permission.
Tasks handed over to ChatGPT remain anonymous, unless the user decides to sign into the service.
The partnership of Apple and OpenAI is an unexpected one, Telsyte managing director Foad Fadaghi says, but could prove beneficial for both parties if it’s handled well.
“It’s pulling Apple out of its comfort zone,” he says.
“Going out to ChatGPT was probably a very difficult decision for Apple to have made and it’s to indicate to users Apple features are not going to be behind the times or antiquated.”
Apple will face significant challenges to ensure its own AI system keeps pace with that of standalone apps, such as Google Gemini, Microsoft Copilot and Meta AI, Mr Fadaghi says but consumers will demand it.
One in five Australian consumers say they will consider AI when upgrading their smartphone, according to Telyste research, and that figure rises to one in four for consumers who regularly use AI tools.
“Consumers are thinking about what they might need in four or five years’ time when buying handsets now,” Mr Fadaghi says.
“Devices that don’t have AI-ready hardware are going to be less attractive.”
The additional of AI features is a key consideration for some phone buyers, Kantar Worldpanel global consumer insights director Jack Hamlin says.
Twelve per cent of Google Pixel buyers say AI features are key to their choice, he says, even though sales of the smartphones did not rise this year.
AI IN YOUR POCKET: 5 APPLE INTELLIGENCE FEATURES
Smarter Siri:
The AI-boosted voice assistant can respond to queries posed in natural language, features a new glowing light, more voice choices and can summon assistance from ChatGPT if users permit it.
AI images:
A dedicated app called Image Playground can generate cartoons or illustrations based on themes or inspired by photographs, while a feature called Image Wand can turn a sketch in the Notes app into a polished image.
Photo editing:
Apple takes a light touch to photographic AI. Its Clean Up feature lets users select visual distractions to remove them, recording its use in metadata and it supports more detailed photo voice searches.
Word-wrangling:
An AI-powered feature called Writing Tools appears across apps including Notes, Pages, Mail and Messages. It can proofread, summarise or rewrite text in different styles. Additional text-generation is available using ChatGPT.
Summaries:
Useful if a group chat gets too chatty, Apple Intelligence can summarise notifications from apps including Mail and Messages and provide a summary of what is yet to be read.
