Apple’s iOS 18 AI Plans – Here Are 9 Expected Features

We’ve been hearing rumors for months about how iOS 18 will be a major upgrade – possibly one of the biggest in its history – and a new report adds more details about what to expect when the software is officially unveiled next month.

These insights come from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, one of the most reliable reporters for accurately predicting Apple’s future plans and leaking its software and hardware announcements ahead of time.

In his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman outlines several AI-infused upgrades rumored to be heading to iOS 18 (and macOS 15 in some cases). Here’s what we might see based on his latest update.

1. Voice memo transcribing

Using AI to convert voice memos into text is now common – the Google Pixel Recorder app, for example, does this. This feature is likely to be integrated into the Voice Memos app included with iOS 18.

2. Photo retouching

Generative AI editing tools are now familiar, as seen on the Samsung Galaxy S24 series. Options may include moving or erasing objects or optimizing colors. The Photos app is already tipped for an upgrade.

3. Better searching

According to Gurman, searches across iOS 18 and macOS 15 will be “faster and more reliable” thanks to AI. We might see search results from more apps and improved support for natural language queries.

4. Automatic replies

You’ll soon be able to generate smart AI responses in Apple Mail and Apple Messages apps. These will be suggestions that you can review and edit before sending.

5. Safari improvements

Safari is set for a significant upgrade this year. Gurman follows up on earlier leaks, saying Safari will get improved web search with AI, meaning more relevant results and quick summaries of websites.

6. A more natural Siri

Siri is expected to become easier to talk to, with better responses. Siri will offer more “natural-sounding interactions based on Apple’s own large language models,” according to Gurman.

7. AI-generated emojis

One new AI feature mentioned in Gurman’s report is an AI emoji machine. This will create custom emojis instantly based on what you’re typing, so you’ll never struggle to find the right emoji.

8. Smart summaries

Smart summaries are expected to be everywhere in iOS 18: emails, webpages, messages, and more. This feature may also cover notifications, saving you a lot of reading time.

9. Home screen customizations

While not strictly AI-related, Gurman states that iOS 18 will allow more flexibility in arranging home screen app shortcuts and changing their colors to match a theme.

There will likely be more features once iOS 18 is officially released – tighter integration between Calendar and Reminders, improved math functions in Notes, smoother song transitions in Apple Music – but the ones listed above are specifically mentioned in Gurman’s new report.

Apple AI and OpenAI ChatGPT

Gurman’s report also sheds light on Apple’s rumored partnership with OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT and Dall-E. Apple’s AI models – stored on the iPhone and in the cloud – will handle the core AI tasks listed above, but they won’t extend to a fully-fledged AI chatbot.

For that, Gurman says, Apple will partner with OpenAI to offer users the option of ChatGPT on the iPhone. It’s unclear how this will differ from using the ChatGPT app for iOS, but deeper integration with iPhone software is presumably on the way. This partnership will be announced at WWDC 2024 on June 10, alongside all these new features for iOS and macOS.

However, Apple doesn’t want to rely solely on OpenAI. Talks are ongoing to offer Google Gemini as an AI chatbot option too, though this won’t be discussed at the WWDC 2024 event. Other chatbots might be added later.

The report also states that Apple will emphasize the privacy of its AI tools – both on-device and in the cloud – compared to those offered by Google and Meta. Finally, Gurman notes that the AI features in iOS 18 might come with a ‘preview’ label, indicating they’re still in development.