Apple Debuts AI Features With New Developer Betas

Apple has reportedly given users access to its first set of artificial intelligence (AI) features.

It’s part of the developer betas for the tech giant’s iPhone, iPad and Mac operating systems, The Verge reported Monday (July 29).

Among the features include a version of Siri with an updated design and ability to maintain context across multiple requests, email features such as smart reply and email summaries and natural language search in Photos, the report said.

According to the report, users who want to install the updates will need an iPhone 15 Pro or Pro Max or, for iPads and Macs, a system with an Apple Silicon chip. After installation, users will need to join a waitlist from their devices’ Settings menu and wait for a notification that it’s ready for them to access, the report said.

This report follows Apple’s announcement from earlier Monday that it was delaying the launch of its AI features — known as Apple Intelligence — not including them in the initial launch of the new iPhone and iPad software updates.

A report earlier by Bloomberg News said the decision to hold off on rolling out the AI features is aimed at ensuring a smooth consumer release and addressing concerns over the stability of the technology. By offering developers more time to test and iron out any issues, the company hopes to avoid any major bugs or glitches.

“The delay in the release of Apple Intelligence comes as the tech giant aims to compete in the rapidly growing AI space,” PYMNTS wrote Monday. “The company believes that the new features could help drive sales of the upcoming iPhone 16 models, which are expected to have minimal design changes. With software-related enhancements and a faster chip, Apple hopes to attract customers with the AI capabilities of its new devices.”

Meanwhile, PYMNTS wrote earlier this month about what Apple’s AI initiative could mean for mobile commerce. Tyler Rice, founder of kimchi.co and an iOS developer, told PYMNTS he sees significant potential in AI-driven mobile shopping.

“A big one is a better search,” Rice told PYMNTS. “LLMs (large language models) allow for a better search experience so customers can more quickly find the products they are looking for or interested in.”