iOS 18 is set to start rolling out to all compatible iPhones today, though most of the AI features won’t be available right away. Apple Intelligence, as it’s being called, will initially be exclusive to the iPhone 16, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max, staying in beta for the foreseeable future. However, the public beta should become available next month.

Apple’s AI Dilemma

When it comes to AI, Apple has some catching up to do, particularly with rivals like Google and Samsung. AI-powered features have already become essential on devices like the Google Pixel 8 and Samsung Galaxy S24. Apple, however, can no longer afford to lag behind, especially with the upcoming iPhone 16 this fall.

AI, or Apple Intelligence, was a key focus during the WWDC 2024 keynote. But to make a real impact, Apple needs to deliver features that stand out from the competition and offer practical value to users. While Google showcased even more advanced AI tools at its Google I/O event in 2024, Apple can’t let Android 15 dominate the AI landscape.

Smarter Siri Actions

One of the most anticipated changes in iOS 18 is the new AI-powered version of Siri. Siri will now be able to hold conversations more naturally, picking up on context and clues from your previous statements. For example, if you stumble mid-sentence or ask a follow-up question, Siri will remember what you were discussing and reply intelligently.

There’s also a visual redesign for Siri, replacing the traditional circular icon with a glowing light bar around the edge of your phone. Other notable improvements include “Type to Siri,” which allows users to type commands, and on-screen awareness, enabling Siri to assist based on what’s currently on the screen.

Additionally, Siri will now feature integration with ChatGPT. This is an opt-in feature, meaning Siri can detect when ChatGPT would be more helpful for a particular question. Users will need to give permission, and they can then interact with OpenAI’s chatbot directly from their phone. One neat feature is that Siri can even answer questions with images when integrated with ChatGPT.

Testing Siri’s AI Update

While we’ve tested this feature in the beta, the results have been mixed. Siri’s voice sounds less robotic, and the design is improved, but there are still issues. For example, when we asked Siri to add a percentage to a sum, it recommended using a calculator. However, this is still in beta, so we expect improvements when the feature rolls out fully.

Introducing Genmoji: AI-Generated Emojis

A fun addition in iOS 18 is Genmoji, which lets users create AI-generated emojis by simply describing what they want in a text prompt. While the iPhone already offers a wide variety of emojis, there are times when the existing options don’t quite capture the right feeling.

Genmoji allows users to create unique, custom emojis on demand. Although similar features exist in third-party apps, iOS 18 will offer it as a built-in function for the first time.

Smart Replies

Although it wasn’t mentioned during the WWDC keynote, it’s rumored that iOS 18 may introduce smart replies for messaging, similar to features found on Samsung and Google devices. These AI-powered responses would analyze conversations and offer relevant, contextual replies.

We’re curious to see how this will work in practice, especially after testing Samsung’s Galaxy AI Chat Assist, which felt a bit like someone else was writing the responses for us.

Safari Summarization

Safari is also getting an AI boost with iOS 18. The new summarization feature will use AI to condense web articles into quick summaries, saving users time and effort. This can be especially useful when you’re trying to get the main points from a long article. The AI will also remove distractions, allowing users to focus on the most important information.

This feature is similar to summarizing tools already available on devices like the Pixel 8 and Galaxy S24, but Apple’s implementation within Safari brings a new level of convenience for iPhone users.

Smarter Notification Recaps

Inundated with notifications you haven’t had time to check? iOS 18’s AI will help with smarter notification recaps. This feature will prioritize the most important notifications in the Notification Center, ensuring you don’t miss anything critical.

AI-Enhanced Photo Editing

Photo editing gets a major upgrade with iOS 18. Apple introduces the “Clean Up” tool, similar to Google’s Magic Editor, allowing users to remove unwanted objects from their photos. The AI will then fill in the gaps with generative technology.

In addition, the Notes app will include a feature called Image Wand, which can turn rough sketches into cleaner images. You’ll also be able to generate entirely new images from scratch, using text prompts and AI assistance.

However, testing has revealed some early issues with Apple’s Clean Up tool, particularly when rendering faces in the background. This is likely to improve as the software is refined, but it’s something to watch for.

Apple Music Auto-Generated Playlists

Finding new music can be time-consuming, but iOS 18’s AI will simplify this process with auto-generated playlists in Apple Music. Based on your listening habits, the AI will curate playlists tailored to your preferences, so you can discover new music effortlessly.

Transcribing Voice Memos

Another helpful AI feature in iOS 18 is the transcription of voice memos. This feature allows users to convert their voice recordings into text, with the AI intelligently recognizing multiple voices, summarizing the content, and even formatting the text with bold headings and bullet points. This is one of the more stable features in the current iOS 18 beta.