Apple adds ChatGPT to iPhones with latest Apple Intelligence update

Apple (AAPL) is finally bringing ChatGPT to the iPhone, iPad, and Mac as part of its latest Apple Intelligence update. Available today via iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS 15.2, the software also brings along Apple’s visual intelligence feature for the iPhone 16’s Camera Control and image-generating technologies called Image Playground and Genmoji.

The second update in what is expected to be a series of artificial intelligence-related improvements to Apple’s stable of products over the next several months, the software provides some of the most anticipated AI features for Apple Intelligence.

Apple stock was up less than 1% on the news.

Apple launched its initial raft of Apple Intelligence features in October, complete with notification summaries and Writing Tools. Apple is banking on Apple Intelligence to help goose iPhone sales as the smartphone growth continues to slow. But so far, there’s little proof that the update itself is pushing users to upgrade their devices sooner than later.

Adding ChatGPT to the iPhone is a major step in Apple’s quest to spread powerful AI capabilities across its various devices. With the update, the generative AI chatbot is available through Siri, Writing Tools, and the visual search-based visual intelligence.

Apple says it’s not sharing user data with ChatGPT creator OpenAI unless those users choose to sign into their ChatGPT accounts. In that case, OpenAI’s data handling terms apply. Each time you access ChatGPT, Apple will ask for confirmation that you truly want to use the bot.

The company’s visual intelligence, meanwhile, allows users to search for real-world objects using the iPhone’s camera. Point your phone at a restaurant, a piece of clothing you want to buy, or a document you want to summarize, and visual intelligence will take care of the rest. You can choose to search with visual intelligence using either ChatGPT to ask detailed questions about your subject or via Google Search.

Unfortunately, visual intelligence is only available on the iPhone 16 line because those devices are the only ones outfitted with Apple’s special Camera Control button. In fact, Apple Intelligence more broadly is only available via the iPhone 16 line or the company’s iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max devices. Apple says that’s because the iPhone 15 Pros and iPhone 16 are the only phones with chips powerful enough to handle onboard AI processing.

Apple’s Image Playground and Genmoji features are less about helpful search tools and more about creating fun, kitschy images using natural language. You can ask the services to make an image of a dog jumping through a ring of fire or grab a selfie you took and tell the apps to generate a picture of you working out and they’ll do just that.

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Image Playground and Genmoji aren’t going to get users out to the store in droves to buy new iPhones, but at this point the features are must-haves for any smartphone maker. Apple’s rivals already offer similar functionalities via their own AI platforms, and if the company is going to continue to battle in the space, it needs to offer competing capabilities to match them.

Apple hasn’t announced when its next tranche of Apple Intelligence features will hit the street, but based on how long the company waited to release its second batch, they’ll likely begin entering beta in the coming weeks.

Email Daniel Howley at dhowley@yahoofinance.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DanielHowley.

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