Robert Triggs/Android Authority
long story short
- According to reports, the artificial intelligence features Apple is debuting in iOS 18 will run entirely on the device, keeping user data locally.
- This on-device approach emphasizes privacy but may limit access to more complex AI capabilities that often require cloud support.
- Apple may solve this problem with third-party cloud-based AI capabilities.
As Google and Samsung increasingly integrate artificial intelligence capabilities into their flagship smartphones, Apple is preparing to follow suit with the release of iOS 18. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman said the initial rollout of Apple’s artificial intelligence capabilities will run entirely on users’ devices, without the need for cloud-based processing.
“As the world awaits Apple’s big AI launch on June 10, it looks like the first wave of features will run entirely on-device. That means the company’s big language models (the software that powers the new features) aren’t cloud processing component,” Gurman explained.
Apple’s decision to focus on local processing of AI capabilities has both benefits and potential limitations. On the one hand, users can expect faster responses and enhanced privacy since their data remains on their devices. However, this approach may also limit access to powerful cloud-based resources often necessary for advanced AI capabilities.
For context, Samsung’s Galaxy AI also includes offline features like translation and typing suggestions. Google has also developed Gemini Nano artificial intelligence models for on-device execution.
However, even the most advanced smartphone hardware struggles to run cutting-edge large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT without additional cloud support. As a result, some of Samsung and Google’s most complex AI features still require the power of cloud servers.
Gurman suggested that Apple could solve this problem by integrating cloud-based capabilities, possibly powered by Google Gemini or a similar provider. Samsung’s Galaxy AI also offers cloud-based and on-device model options for certain features. While the latter may offer lower-quality results or limited functionality, it offers a privacy-focused alternative.
Apple’s focus on on-device AI processing is a strong indication that the company will use this approach to bolster its reputation for strict user privacy protections.
iOS 18 promises a suite of generative AI enhancements across Apple’s app ecosystem. There are rumors of improvements to Spotlight search, Siri’s ability to solve complex problems, and powerful image editing tools in the native Photos app.
Apple will announce iOS 18 and its artificial intelligence features at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), which will be held from June 10 to 14.