Apple’s foray into AI with Apple Intelligence has been a hot topic, especially after its staggered rollout for the iPhone 16. Now that it’s been available for a few months, has it lived up to the hype? My experience has been a mix of helpful features and some disappointments.
Apple heavily marketed its AI capabilities leading up to the iPhone 16 launch, but the delayed release of Apple Intelligence left many users confused. Initially available only with the iOS 18.1 update in October, the full suite of features wasn’t released until December with iOS 18.2. This staggered approach has unfortunately dampened some of the initial excitement.
The Good: Practical AI Tools
Some Apple Intelligence features have proven genuinely useful in my day-to-day iPhone usage. The Clean Up tool, for example, has become indispensable. Previously, removing unwanted objects from photos required third-party apps, often with paywalls. Clean Up efficiently removes distractions like stray objects, power lines, or even people, streamlining photo editing within the native Photos app. This feature, comparable to Google’s Magic Eraser and Samsung’s Object Eraser, is a welcome addition to the iPhone’s arsenal.
Visual Intelligence, exclusive to the iPhone 16 line due to its reliance on the Camera Control button, offers convenient features like plant and animal identification and text translation, similar to Google Lens. While not a constantly used feature, its availability through the Camera Control button adds value.
The Not-So-Good: AI Misses the Mark
Despite the initial promise, several Apple Intelligence features have fallen short of expectations. Image Playground, Apple’s AI art generator, hasn’t impressed. Attempts to generate realistic or even shareable images of myself yielded disappointing results, with inaccurate renderings of features and overall unsatisfactory aesthetics.
While features like Genmoji offer a fun way to create personalized emojis, the AI writing tools and text summarization haven’t significantly changed my workflow. As a writer, I find the AI-generated text often feels forced and doesn’t align with my personal style. Siri, despite some improvements, still lags behind competitors in handling complex requests and multi-modal interactions. The addition of ChatGPT support is a positive step, though its full potential remains to be seen.
A Slow Start for Apple Intelligence
Apple’s delayed and staggered rollout of Apple Intelligence feels like a missed opportunity. The initial excitement surrounding the iPhone 16’s AI capabilities was dampened by the features’ absence at launch. The gradual release of functionalities, some months after the iPhone 16’s debut, has diminished the impact and novelty of Apple Intelligence. While some tools, like Clean Up and Visual Intelligence, prove valuable, the overall experience hasn’t drastically changed how I use my iPhone. Apple Intelligence, while offering some useful additions, still needs refinement and a more cohesive integration to truly transform the iPhone experience. It remains to be seen whether future updates will elevate Apple Intelligence to its full potential.
