Added to this, users in India and Singapore will soon have access to a localised English version specifically for their regions.

Apple CEO Tim Cook announced this update during a recent earnings call, confirming that the rollout is scheduled for April. Previously, Apple Intelligence was limited to U.S. English at launch. 

A later update in December 2024 extended support to English variants in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, and the UK. However, Apple has not yet disclosed plans to introduce its AI suite in the European Union or Mainland China.

“In April, we’re bringing Apple Intelligence to more languages, including French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, and simplified Chinese, as well as localised English to Singapore and India,” Cook stated. 

He also highlighted the positive market response to Apple Intelligence, saying, “Markets where we had rolled out Apple Intelligence during the [quarter] performed better on a year-over-year basis than markets where we had not…It’s a positive indicator that we were pleased with.”

Apple Intelligence, first introduced at WWDC 2024, includes a range of AI-driven features such as Genmoji, Image Playground, Visual Intelligence, ChatGPT integration, and an upgraded Siri with improved contextual understanding. 

Nonetheless, some features like the AI-generated notification summaries, for example, were said to have some inaccuracies, with one incident involving a false claim about a criminal case making headlines.

In response, Apple apologised and removed the AI-generated summaries from News and Entertainment apps in the iOS 18.3 update, clarifying that the feature was still in beta and subject to errors.

Hence, Apple is continually working to improve accuracy and user experience while increasing accessibility to more regions.

The keynote revealed Apple’s plan to integrate OpenAI’s ChatGPT into its operating systems, promising enhanced functionality for Siri and other applications. However, this move has led to huge controversy, notably from tech mogul Elon Musk.

During the keynote, Apple introduced “Apple Intelligence,” a new AI framework designed to bring advanced capabilities to iPhones, iPads, and Macs. Key features include AI-driven enhancements for Siri, which will now be able to utilize ChatGPT to handle more complex queries. 

This integration allows Siri to ask ChatGPT for help with user questions, presenting answers directly without needing to open the ChatGPT app. Additionally, Apple Intelligence includes tools for generating personalized AI images within messaging apps, designed to make conversations more enjoyable and interactive.

In a post-keynote WWDC 2024 event, Apple SVP Craig Federighi confirmed that the company would work with other third-party AI models beyond OpenAI, highlighting Google’s Gemini as a potential future partner. Federighi clarified that while there was nothing to announce immediately, this direction represents Apple’s commitment to expanding its AI capabilities.

New Features Across Apple’s Devices

Apple also introduced several other AI-driven features and enhancements across its devices:

InSight for Apple TV+: This new feature provides real-time information about actors and music during playback, similar to Amazon’s X-Ray. InSight includes Shazam-like functionality that identifies songs playing in TV shows or movies and allows users to add them to Apple Music playlists.

Smart Script for iPad: This feature improves handwriting recognition and note-taking with the Apple Pencil, using on-device machine learning to make handwriting smoother and more legible.

Apple’s New Passwords App: Simplifies password management by storing and syncing passwords across devices, with easy navigation for viewing all passwords, Wi-Fi passwords, passkeys, and non-website codes.

Tap to Cash: A new feature allowing users to transfer money by tapping together a pair of iPhones, leveraging NFC functionality for secure transactions without sharing personal information.

Calculator for iPad: Finally brings a dedicated calculator app to the iPad, featuring Math Notes that perform calculations directly within the app.

Messages via Satellite: Allows users to send messages via satellite when no cellular signal is available, similar to Apple’s emergency SOS feature.

Elon Musk’s Strong Opposition

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, and xAI, quickly voiced his disapproval of Apple’s partnership with OpenAI. Musk took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to note his concerns about privacy and security, threatening to ban Apple devices from his companies if the integration proceeded as planned. 

Apple also announced enhancements to its smart assistant, Siri, making it more natural and personal with the help of generative AI features. Siri can now handle speech stumbles better and understand context more accurately. Users can also type to Siri if they prefer, adding a new layer of interaction flexibility.

The new operating system version for Macs, macOS Sequoia, introduces iPhone mirroring, allowing users to control their iPhones from their Macs. Notifications on Mac can pop users into iPhone mirror mode, where iPhone audio comes through the Mac, but the paired iPhone stays locked.

Vision Pro and Other Updates

Apple’s Vision Pro headset is set to expand to eight new countries, featuring visionOS 2, which brings productivity enhancements and new immersive experiences. Users can now “spatialize” regular photos into 3D images, leveraging AI technology. 

Additionally, the Photos app in iOS 18 will see significant updates, including new navigation and organizational features, making it easier to find and enjoy photos of friends, family, and memorable moments.

iOS 18 and Future Outlook

The upcoming iOS 18 promises to deliver more customization options for iPhone users, including the ability to place app icons and widgets freely on the home screen and support for dark mode icons. A new app lock feature will enhance security, allowing users to lock apps and require authentication to access them.

He warns that if Apple integrates OpenAI at the OS level, Apple devices would be banned from his businesses, and visitors would have to check their Apple devices at the door, where they’ll be stored in a Faraday cage.

This, according to Elon Musk, is due to major issues surrounding privacy and security.

Apple announced that with iOS 18, Siri will utilize ChatGPT for handling complex queries. This integration allows users to ask Siri questions, and if ChatGPT can assist, it will ask for permission to share the query and provide an answer. 

Apple has assured that user data will only be shared with explicit consent and that interactions are designed to be secure. Again, user data shared with OpenAI will not be logged or stored.

Elon Musk took to his social media platform, X (formerly Twitter), noting his disapproval. He described the integration as an “unacceptable security violation” and threatened to ban Apple devices at Tesla, SpaceX, and other Musk-owned companies.

He suggested that OpenAI’s capabilities should remain within a dedicated app rather than being integrated at the operating system level. 

On the part of Elon Musk, this points to a deep mistrust of the integration, implying that OpenAI could potentially access personal and private data through this new system. Despite reassurances from Apple and OpenAI, Elon Musk remains unconvinced, highlighting what he sees as a fundamental privacy risk.

Apple has reiterated that user control and consent are at the core of the ChatGPT integration. According to Craig Federighi, Apple’s SVP of Software Engineering, users will be asked before any information is shared with ChatGPT. 

The integration will be rolled out to iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia later this year, available on iPhone Pro 15 models and devices using M1 or newer chips. OpenAI also reiterated that requests are not stored and users’ IP addresses are obscured. 

Privacy and security in the integration of third-party AI technologies into operating systems are a big concern. However, reports point to Elon Musk’s standpoint as being influenced by his interests in his own AI ventures, such as xAI’s Grok. 

Apple’s announcement includes additional integrations, such as using ChatGPT within writing tools to generate content like bedtime stories or images, which further expands OpenAI’s reach and utility within the Apple industry.