Apple is bringing ChatGPT to iPhone, iPad and Mac as part of its latest Apple Intelligence update. The software is available today on iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2 and macOS 15.2. It also offers Apple’s Visual Intelligence feature for iPhone 16 camera control as well as image generation technologies called Image Playground and Genmoji.
Apple launched its first round of Apple Intelligence features in October, with notification summaries and writing tools. Apple is banking on Apple Intelligence to boost iPhone sales as smartphone growth continues to slow. But so far, there is no evidence that the update itself causes users to update their devices sooner than expected.
Example of ChatGPT integration on the Mac
Apple
ChatGPT well present
The addition of OpenAI’s ChatGPT to iPhone is an important step in Apple’s quest to bring powerful AI capabilities to its various devices. With the update, the generative AI chatbot is available on Siri, writing tools and search-based visual intelligence.
Apple clarifies that it does not share user data with OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, unless those users choose to sign in to their ChatGPT account. In this case, OpenAI’s data processing conditions apply. Every time you access ChatGPT, Apple will ask you to confirm that you actually want to use the bot.
The Visual Intelligence feature, on the other hand, allows users to search for real-world objects using the iPhone’s camera. Point your phone at a restaurant, an item of clothing you want to buy, or a document you want to summarize. Visual intelligence will take care of the rest. You can search with Visual Intelligence using either ChatGPT to ask detailed questions about your topic or Google Search.
Not all recent iPhones
Unfortunately, this Visual Intelligence feature is only available on the iPhone 16 range, as these devices are the only ones to feature Apple’s special Camera Control button. In fact, broader Apple Intelligence is only available on the iPhone 16 line or Apple’s iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max. Apple explains this by the fact that the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 are the only phones with chips powerful enough to handle on-board artificial intelligence processing.
Playground et Genmoji
Apple’s Image Playground and Genmoji features are less useful research tools and more tools for creating fun images using natural language. You can ask these services to create an image of a dog jumping in a ring of fire or take a selfie you took and ask the apps to generate an image of you exercising, and that is what they will do.
The Genmoji app on iPhone
Apple
Apple has not announced when the next tranche of Apple Intelligence features will be available, but, based on how long it took the company to release its second installment, it is likely that it will come in beta phase in the coming weeks.
Updates
If you don’t see a notification prompting you to download iOS 18.2 on your iPhone and iPadOS 18.2 on your iPad, you can manually check for updates by opening the Settings app on your device and navigating to “General.” then “Software Update”. The same goes for macOS: just open the System Settings app, navigate to “Software Update,” and start downloading.
That said, the new AI functions are only available on devices set to English. French-speaking users will have to wait until April to get them, according to Apple.
An AI server chip with Broadcom
In the same area, Apple is developing its first server chip specially designed for artificial intelligence, The Information site reported on Wednesday, citing three people with direct knowledge of the matter.
The iPhone maker is working with founder Broadcom on a new chip, crucial for processing artificial intelligence, according to the report.
