In an era where Google and OpenAI are dominating the AI scene, it almost feels like Apple’s invitation to the ‘AI innovation’ convention got lost in the mail. Despite that, the main question surrounding Apple Intelligence is a different one – Is Apple’s ‘AI’ really intelligent, or just classic Apple-level marketing genius of being late but being the best?
Apple Intelligence in a nutshell
The folks at Cupertino describe Apple Intelligence as an on-device AI system for iPhones, iPads, and Macs. It uses generative AI and personal context (from apps, messages, and documents) to offer helpful and preemptive features. It can help you write, summarize, edit, translate, manage tasks, and interact more easily across apps.
Now you might wonder whether or not this affects your data privacy. Well, Apple has kept the security of your data as the top priority. While most of the tasks are handled directly on your device, for complex requests, its ‘Private Cloud Compute’ feature processes them securely.
A revolutionary approach to AI?
As mentioned earlier, Apple Intelligence tailors its features to your personal context — to make your device feel more yours. For example, it can summarize long email threads before a meeting, suggest replies in your usual tone, or automatically set reminders based on your location and routine. These things make tracking everyday tasks faster, smarter, and simpler. It’s like having an Alfred to your lazy and lousy Batman, who is late everywhere.
Now you must be wondering, ‘how can something be so perfect? ’ Right? Well, keep your pessimism in your pocket because Apple Intelligence does have quite a few downsides.
The main drawback is that it’s only compatible with newer devices, specifically, the iPhone 15 Pro and later, as well as Macs and iPads equipped with M1, M2, or newer chips. Further, some features are still in beta and limited to U.S. English. It may also use more battery power, so the non-Pro devices can struggle a bit. Lastly, since it’s exclusive to Apple devices, it limits flexibility for people who use other platforms.
Now, after all of this SWOT analysis, two important questions arise. Should you buy an Apple device just for Apple Intelligence? Well, if you’re already in Apple’s ecosystem and care about privacy, yes — it’s a smart upgrade that adds real convenience without risking your data. But should you make a switch from Android just for Apple Intelligence? Probably not. Google’s AI is still far more advanced, and ChatGPT works everywhere.
Apple Intelligence at this stage seems more like an evolution, not a revolution.
And finally, as it stands, Apple Intelligence doesn’t need to outsmart ChatGPT — it just needs to make the iPhone more useful. And in that, it succeeds and is doing better with every new upgrade. It’s not groundbreaking AI, but a smart tool that helps with real, everyday tasks. For most Apple users, that’s more than enough.
