Apple Intelligence: A Promising Start with Limitations

The debut of Apple Intelligence features marks an important addition to iPhones and Macs. Users can now set their devices to US English and download tools that initiate Apple’s much-anticipated generative AI suite. More functionalities and official support for Australian English are expected to roll out in December.

Apple is known for its cautious approach to adopting new technologies. The company often waits for competitors to iron out early issues, delivering a more polished and user-friendly solution later. However, this time, the results seem less impressive than previous expectations.

Currently, these tools remain in beta, a term that once suggested unpreparedness for public use but now implies that the features may exhibit flaws or inaccuracies. The language tools on devices from other brands like Google and Samsung often feel incomplete and unreliable. They can generate text that appears structured but fails to grasp meaning contextually. This indicates a focus on the transmission of information rather than genuine communication. Companies seem to be utilizing these early versions to gather user feedback for improvements.

Unfortunately, the initial features of Apple Intelligence exhibit these same shortcomings. Although they are marketed as time-saving tools meant to streamline tasks—thus reducing busywork—they currently lack the reliability needed for effective use without constant verification.

The summarization tool is one of the most notable features introduced with Apple Intelligence. Theoretically, it should condense long texts or numerous messages into concise summaries. However, my experience showed limited utility. For instance, a cluttered stack of Gmail notifications was transformed into a jumbled mess by the AI, mixing bot-generated follow-ups, marketing emails, and spam, which ultimately forced me to review each notification individually. The AI's attempts to summarize home alerts or authentication messages were amusing but not particularly helpful.

On the Mac, the AI struggled to manage a flood of Slack messages, frequently selecting the least pertinent messages while neglecting the important ones. Again, this didn’t enhance the situation; it simply continued the need for manual checking.

In the Mail app, Apple provides summaries instead of showing the first line of an email. However, these summaries often do not improve on the original context found in the initial sentences. I noted a few instances where the AI did identify critical information, such as delaying an event until November 24, but such cases were rare.

When it comes to summarizing conversations, the AI performed relatively well, effectively conveying what each participant had communicated. So far, this only appears on group chat notifications and as an option in Mail.

Writing Tools: Mixed Results

Another feature is the new writing tools. Users can now select any text on their iPhone or Mac and utilize options to modify it. I found various issues here, and I want to emphasize that this isn't exclusive to Apple; similar problems arise with other platforms as well.

A critical concern is that users can rewrite entire articles effortlessly, which can resemble plagiarism. The outcome often appears robotic and could resemble a poorly crafted commercial listing. While it does the job, I find myself questioning its purpose.

Users can request a more professional or friendly tone in their writing. However, these adjustments often lead to homogeneity and cliched expressions. The AI may unnecessarily replace terms leading to distortions in meaning; for example, replacing “business” with “conglomerate.” Efforts to make language more concise usually come at the expense of significant content.

If the rewriting function worked flawlessly and users frequently needed to refine text for professionalism, it might be justifiable as a productivity enhancement. Unfortunately, it does not achieve this, and many do not find themselves in need of such constant rewriting assistance.

While there are indeed moments when a text may feel awkward, and you seek guidance for improvement, this tool runs the risk of stripping the essence of personal communication to insert generic pleasantries.

Smart Replies and Other Features

The new “smart replies” available for message responses follow a similar trend. Google has offered these for some time, but I find them too impersonal for practical use. Apple's options echo this sentiment, making me prefer a simple thumbs-up emoji over a canned response drafted by AI. While the system accurately predicts relevant responses, the exchange feels robotic—something I can easily write in a few moments.

Further features in the Apple Intelligence package appear more like prototypes rather than fully functional tools. Siri has received a visual update and can now assist with troubleshooting Apple devices and take written commands, yet it remains fundamentally unchanged.

“Clean Up” in Photos enables minor adjustments, allowing users to erase selected objects with the assistance of AI. However, the effectiveness of these changes can greatly vary based on the complexity of the task.

Looking ahead, future updates to Apple Intelligence promise the generation of cartoon-like images based on descriptions, emoji creation, sketch enhancement, and even broader text generation capabilities by connecting to tools like ChatGPT.

So, does this sound promising? As it stands, Apple Intelligence feels far from delivering substantial benefits, placing it in line with other AI offerings that purport to save time.

intelligence, AI, technology