Apple on Monday announced AI features across its devices called “Apple Intelligence” and a partnership with ChatGPT maker OpenAI as the tech giant tries to convince Wall Street that it’s keeping up in the fast-growing technology race.
OpenAI head Sam Altman was seated in the VIP section at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference, which began with a highly stylized intro of Apple executives “skydiving” down to the company’s headquarters.
As part of a long-announced partnership with OpenAI, ChatGPT will be integrated into Apple’s voice assistant Siri for free.
Apple CEO Tim Cook called the integration of AI a “game changer” and the “next big step” for the company.
However, these features will only be available on Apple’s most expensive iPhone 15 Pro models, as well as Macs and iPads powered by the company’s computer chips.
Despite the hype, Apple’s shares fell nearly 2% as Cook and other executives detailed the plan, while Google’s shares rose as the presentation progressed.
Some of the AI software’s features include the ability to prioritize notifications based on importance, a writing tool that can proofread and summarize text, create AI-generated images within text conversations, and display specific images or files based on user prompts.
Siri will also be able to perform tasks in certain apps based on the user’s voice prompts and answer questions about how device features work.
Cook insisted that Apple Intelligence was “built with privacy in mind from the beginning,” and the company said its AI systems do not collect personal data from users.
The event was seen as a pivotal moment for Apple, which has been under pressure since the beginning of the year due to expanding antitrust scrutiny and investor doubts about its slow move into AI.
Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives called the AI-focused presentation Apple’s “biggest event in a decade.”
Apple also detailed the upgrades included in its latest iPhone software, iOS 18.
New features include the ability to customize app arrangement and icon colors on the home screen.
Users can “lock” certain apps, preventing strangers from accessing them without “Face ID” or login credentials, even if they get past the home lock screen.
In the Messages app, users will be able to react to texts with more emojis and animation effects through an expanded “Tapbacks” feature, and will also be able to delay sending texts through the “Send Later” feature.
Apple plans to roll out an update to its Mail app later this year that will organize emails into different categories, such as deals, social updates, shopping promotions, and more.
The company’s streaming service, Apple TV+, will allow viewers to highlight specific actors or songs as shows play.
Elsewhere, iPad users will gain access to a long-awaited tablet-only Calculator app, as well as new home screen customization features.
The tech giant also announced updates to its Vision Pro mixed reality headset, which it is expanding to other countries, with pre-orders starting June 13 in China and June 28 in the UK, Australia, Canada, France and Germany.
Apple unveiled its upgraded “VisionOS 2” operating system for the headset, and said there are now more than 2,000 apps developed specifically for the device.
Executives touted the Vision Pro’s use for travel, noting that the device’s “travel mode” works for train travel as well as plane travel.
The company’s computer operating system, macOS, will include iPhone notifications for Macs, a Phone Mirroring feature for Mac displays, and a Passwords app that securely stores login information for various apps.
