Is Apple Intelligence any good? I tried it and here's what I think

Apple Intelligence is packed with new features, from an updated Siri to an AI image generator. But is it worth the hype? Should you enable it on your device or not?

Apple Intelligence recently launched in Canada, and after using it for a while, I found some features more helpful than others.

Apple sent me an iPhone 16, and I had the opportunity to spend several weeks exploring Apple Intelligence features for Daily Hive.

The feature is available with the latest iOS 18.2 software update for iPhone 15 and newer models, as well as the latest macOS Sequoia. After following a couple of tutorials online, I finally had it installed.

While some have been fun, I’ve been using others more regularly. Here are my thoughts so far.

Siri gets a makeover

Probably one of the features I’m most excited about is the updated version of Siri.

To summon Siri, click the side button or double-tap the bottom of the screen without unlocking your phone. The new glowing rainbow border indicating that Siri is listening looks more modern and is subtler than the glowing orb we’re used to seeing.

You can change Siri’s voice and accent, and it can also follow more complex commands. But where Siri’s capabilities end is where ChatGPT begins — with your permission, of course.

While using the Notes app, I asked Siri for recommendations for Chinese restaurants in Toronto. Siri asked me if I wanted to use ChatGPT to answer that request, and it provided a solid list of suggestions.

I can see myself using this feature daily.

Getting my inbox and notifications in order

I was always used to the deluge of emails in my inbox, which consisted of a jumble of personal emails and newsletters. Apple Intelligence helps filter and categorize emails.

My inbox has categories for Primary, Transactions, Updates, and Promotions. I only check Primary for emails I must respond to, making my inbox far easier to manage.

Notifications have also been a lot easier to manage.

I like catching up on the latest X notifications by reading a single concise summary rather than scrolling through several. It certainly simplifies things.

Check your tone

Speaking of emails, there’s a new feature to help you write them.

Sending a quick email to a friend? A new writing tool can proofread your hastily typed message and even gives you the option to describe the changes you want to add to your message. You can also change the tone to make it sound more friendly. You can opt for a more professional tone when sending a work-related email.

Do you need help starting your message? The writing feature allows you to pull up ChatGPT and have it write the email for you, a feature I found helpful when I was in a rush.

Many paid programs already do this, but it’s nice to have such premium features for free.

Playing around with Playground

Another new Apple Intelligence feature is Image Playground, which is integrated into Notes and Messages.

After downloading the app, I immediately uploaded my photo to see what it would produce. The result was a pretty close animated version. There’s also an option to create an illustration version. The joy of using Image Playground is combining different objects and scenarios to create unique images in seconds.

Needless to say, it provided several hours of entertainment. Users should upload photos that focus on the subject’s face for the best images. However, the results were sometimes a bit strange; in one case, the subject was missing hands, but these are common flaws in AI-generated images.

Truthfully, I have yet to use it for more practical purposes, but I can imagine it being helpful in presentations. For now, I’ll use it to visualize what I’d look like as an astronaut.

Getting extra with Genmojis

I’m that person in the group chat who uses a lot of GIFs, memes, and emojis, so I was excited to learn that I could create my own emojis with Genmojis.

The emojis you create are then saved with the other emojis. I quite like this feature as it adds another layer of personalization. For example, I’m not just tired — I’m as exhausted as a pug asleep in pyjamas.

Media organization on another level

I take a lot of photos and videos, so this feature is by far my favourite.

Apple Intelligence finally brings order to years of chaos for those who have amassed a collection of pictures and videos. The search feature saves me from dizzying scrolling as I try to recall when exactly I ordered unagi in 2023. When I typed “unagi,” it found “unagi” in the text of a photo, and it also pulled up pictures of all the times I ordered unagi.

Speaking of food, I wanted to suggest a restaurant I had found while in Tokyo, but I couldn’t recall the name. All I could remember was the bowl of donburi piled high with sashimi and uni. I tried my luck and typed in “donburi.” I was impressed that it found a video of a donburi bowl at the restaurant I had been searching for.

Apple Intelligence recognizes objects and words in photos and video stills, and I have been relying on this feature quite often.

Editing photos and videos just got easier

I have a very basic understanding of Photoshop, so the Clean Up tool is quite impressive.

I wanted to remove the glass of water, napkins, and my black hat in the background of a plate of pancakes, and the new tool makes editing so much easier.

I opened the editing feature, clicked “Clean Up,” and waited for it to highlight the area I wanted to remove. It only took a few seconds.

After trying it several times, it’s clear — like most editing features — that it’s not entirely perfect. Depending on the photo and the textures, some results can be almost flawless, while others look odd. I tried removing a glass of water in the background, but it left an odd blurry area behind. Nonetheless, it’s still an excellent editing tool that I’ve been using quite often.

Memory Movie also makes creating short clips using videos and photos from a single moment much more straightforward.

I enjoy editing videos but tend to put it off since editing can be time-consuming. This new feature creates quality videos within seconds with just a description. You can also easily edit the clips and change the background music from Apple Music.

Final thoughts

For those concerned about privacy issues, Apple emphasizes protecting users’ privacy by using on-device processing. That means requests are processed on your device or a Private Cloud Compute that doesn’t store your data. Apple Intelligence is also optional, so users can choose whether or not they want to switch on this feature.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve often used the enhanced version of Siri for straightforward requests and more complex requests that require ChatGPT. I asked for suggestions for fashion brands similar to Kit and Ace, and it provided some great options.

Although I enjoy using Playground, I haven’t used it as much since testing it out. In addition to the Cleap Up tool, the most practical feature for me has been the photo/video search feature, which has saved me the time and frustration of scrolling through my album.

I’m already looking forward to what else Apple comes up with in the next update.