An Introduction to Apple Intelligence: Release, Rollout and Reveals

There’s a new player in the artificial intelligence game with the release of Apple Intelligence. How does it work, which devices have it and what can you do with it?

What Is Apple Intelligence?

Apple Intelligence is a set of artificial intelligence-based features for compatible Mac, iPad and iPhone products. In October 2024, Apple released them to users in the United States through a free software update associated with iOS and iPadOS 18.1 and macOS Sequoia 15.1.

Is There Another Apple Intelligence Release Date?

Perhaps you live in another country and are disappointed that your compatible devices do not have any AI-enabled features yet. That may be because the Apple Intelligence release date for European Union residents using iPhones and iPads is not until April 2025. However, they can use Apple Intelligence on their Macs now. 

Similarly, Apple Intelligence is not yet available for people living in mainland China. Even if you purchased your device elsewhere, the features will not work on it if you are in that location and have your product set to the same region. 

How to Start Using Apple Intelligence

Apple released a software update with the newest Apple Intelligence features in December 2024. Although the company required people to join a waitlist when it initially rolled out these features, you will not need to take that step if your first attempt to use them is after the end-of-2024 release. Instead, you’ll just need to connect to Wi-Fi and a power source while your device downloads the update. Check the Software Update section under Settings if you do not see a prompt informing you that a new version is available.

You may also need to free up space on your device before using Apple Intelligence. That’s because the 18.2 version requires a whopping 7 GB of space, which is 3 GB more than the features needed when rolled out last year. 

If your device lacks the necessary space, Apple can suggest ways to make room for the AI features. Begin by going to Settings. Then, choose General > Storage. You’ll then see some options for creating more space by deleting features or apps you do not or only rarely use.

Keep in mind that you may need to make more space available with each subsequent update that offers substantially more capabilities. AI capabilities could progressively require additional storage depending on how they function. 

Once Apple Intelligence is available on your device, a dedicated section and toggle switch appear for it in Settings. If you decide to turn off the AI features at any time, go to Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri and move the switch to the off position.

What Can You Do With Apple Intelligence?

Even people who have only briefly heard of Apple Intelligence are curious about its main features. They want to know if AI will improve their lives or if it is primarily just a fad that won’t have major impacts. Many don’t realize that foundational work on artificial intelligence began in the 1950s and has progressed since then.

Many individuals already use artificial intelligence without realizing it because it is part of the navigational tools they rely on when driving to new places or the video conferencing tools they use to converse with colleagues who live in other countries. Now that the Apple Intelligence release date has occurred and people have begun testing the features, what kinds of perks can they expect? 

Writing and Summarizing Help

Some of the Apple Intelligence features launched first included tools that appear anywhere a person writes to help them improve what they’ve composed, including selecting a different tone for a particular audience. These offerings can also assist the user with proofreading.

Additionally, because so many people face time crunches while reviewing text throughout the day, Apple Intelligence has a summarizing feature that can show blocks of text as paragraphs, bullet points or lists, depending on how you’d like to see the material. Although it is not a substitute for reading the full versions of all text you come across, this feature could help you determine whether something needs your attention now or can wait until later. 

More Ways to Use Siri

Siri is Apple’s virtual assistant, and the release of Apple Intelligence increases how you can interact with it. First, the interface has an all-new design that wraps around the screen and shows a glowing light when active. That decision makes it easy for users to confirm when it is ready to use, but they won’t notice the tool is in their way when not needed or wanted. Additionally, people can place it anywhere on their desktop for maximum flexibility. 

The user-friendliness also extends to how people interact with Siri because they can now switch between text and voice prompts when doing everyday tasks. Additionally, because the assistant has enhanced language-understanding capabilities, it can continue following the conversation if you stumble over your words and maintain context across multiple requests. 

A New Way to Add Emojis

Many people agree that text messaging is not an ideal way to communicate because it removes the voice or body language cues that help individuals receive the information accurately. However, Apple Intelligence aims to make it more effective with Genmoji, which became available in a December 2024 update. 

The Genmoji feature allows you to type a description into the emoji keyboard box to pull up multiple emojis to fit the conversation and choose those most suitable for conveying your message. 

The Notes App Becomes an Image Generator

Apple’s Notes app is a handy place to store grocery lists, brainstorm ideas, trip plans and more. Now, thanks to Apple Intelligence, you can also use it to create pictures. The Image Wand tool takes context from an existing note, using it to make a relevant picture. Additionally, if you make a rough sketch and circle it with Image Wand, the tool will polish it. These easy-to-use features make your notes more visually appealing and can make them more impactful. 

Will You Use Apple Intelligence?

People often realize that many apps and services they know have rolled out AI features. Company leaders believe that is a necessary way to keep pace with competitors. So, it’s not surprising that Apple has done the same. 

Notably, people with compatible devices can use these features for free. In contrast, some businesses have introduced AI features as premium subscription tiers. Some individuals become disinterested in those options because they aren’t sure if it is worth paying for them. Since Apple Intelligence does not have an associated fee, it encourages users to become acquainted with the features and see how they fit into their lives.