“Apple Intelligence” will automatically choose between on-device and cloud-powered AI

Apple is gearing up to reveal a new AI system on the iPhone, iPad, and Mac next week at WWDC 2024 — and it will be called Apple Intelligence, according to a report from Bloomberg. In addition to providing new “beta” AI features across Apple’s platforms and apps, it will reportedly offer access to a new ChatGPT-like chatbot powered by OpenAI.

Apple reportedly won’t focus on buzzy AI features like image or video generation and will instead focus on adding AI-powered summarizations, reply suggestions, and an AI overhaul for Siri that could give it more control over apps while chasing applications with “broad appeal.”

Apple will use its “own technology and tools from OpenAI” to power its new AI features, according to Bloomberg. The company will reportedly use an algorithm to determine whether it can process a particular task on-device or if it will need to send the query to a cloud server. Previous reports have pointed out how Apple could focus on using its own M2 chips in data centers with a Secure Enclave to say that data processed remotely is as secure as it would be on-device.

To address other potential security concerns, Bloomberg says Apple won’t build profiles based on user data and will also create reports to show their information isn’t getting sold or read.

Bloomberg reports users on iPad or Mac will need devices powered by an M1 chip or later, while the mobile requirements could be restricted to either an iPhone 15 Pro or one of the iPhone 16 devices launching this fall. As reported by Bloomberg, Apple won’t force users to use the new AI features and will make the capabilities opt in.