On Monday, Apple kicked off WWDC 2024, their annual event where they unveil major updates to devices, apps, and software. This year’s conference is packed with exciting announcements, largely due to Apple’s significant investment in generative AI technology. Highlights include an improved Siri and AI-generated emoji.
Apple has announced a partnership with OpenAI, integrating ChatGPT, OpenAI’s artificial intelligence-driven chatbot, into a variety of Apple devices. New photo editing tools have been introduced, allowing users to remove unwanted objects and people from photos. In addition, Apple has deployed an artificial intelligence feature that can proofread, rewrite, and summarize text in a variety of content, such as notes and emails. Below is a summary of some of the most important AI-related announcements from WWDC 2024:
Improved Siri
Siri has received a major upgrade thanks to Apple Intelligence, Apple’s new generative artificial intelligence initiative. Thanks to Apple Intelligence, Siri now has a fresh design, including a new icon and a glowing indicator on device screens. Siri has improved language processing and context understanding. Now you can ask Siri questions and get answers, including directions for using your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. Siri will soon be able to recognize screen content and perform actions in different applications; for example, you can ask Siri to enhance a photo and then add it to another app. During a WWDC keynote, Apple demonstrated how Siri extracts the ID number from a license photo and fills it into a web form. To use the new Siri features, you’ll need an Apple device that supports Apple Intelligence, including the iPhone 15 Pro and devices with M1 chips or later.
ChatGPT Integration
Apple integrates ChatGPT into Siri and other third-party applications and features in its operating systems. Siri users will soon be able to use ChatGPT for specialized requests. You can add photos to your ChatGPT questions via Siri, or ask questions related to documents or PDFs. Additionally, Apple has built ChatGPT into system-wide tools such as Writing Tools (powered by Apple Intelligence). It allows users to create content, including images, using ChatGPT or refine initial ideas into perfect versions.
ChatGPT integration will debut in iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia later this year. The feature will be free and will not require a separate ChatGPT or OpenAI account. It will initially be powered by GPT-4o, OpenAI’s latest flagship generative AI model.
Genmoji and Image Playground
Coming soon to iOS 18 for devices that support Apple Intelligence, Genmoji allows users to create emoji-like images of anyone from their photo library or custom emoji. Genmoji can be used as stickers in messages or as embedded reactions.
Another new feature is the Image Playground, which allows users to generate artificial intelligence images of the people they interact with. Apple Intelligence can understand who you’re talking to, allowing you to personalize conversations with your own on-demand AI imagery. Image Playground will be available as a standalone app and API for developers, allowing users to create images with different themes, costumes, accessories, and settings.
Artificial Photo Editing
The updated Photos app now includes a Clean Up tool that removes unwanted people and objects from images. By circling or highlighting an element to be removed, the AI-powered Cleanup tool replaces it with contextually relevant pixels, making it look like the element never existed. In addition, iOS 18 will improve the organization of photos in the Photos app, automatically grouping images by themes such as time, people, favorite memories, and travel. Advanced search capabilities will allow users to find photos in more specific terms.
Transcribed Calls
In iPhone 15 Pro and newer models, a new iOS feature will allow you to record and decrypt phone calls. This feature requires manual activation and notifies the recipient of the call that the call is being recorded in compliance with privacy laws. Call transcriptions will be summarized in the Notes application. Additionally, users will be able to record and transcribe audio directly in Notes.