iOS 18.3 Adds AI Device Support and Updates

Apple Intelligence stated that its AI functions will be enabled by default starting iPhone onboarding with iOS 18.3, iPadOS 18.3, and macOS 15.3. According to release candidate notes obtained by 9to5Mac, Apple will turn on AI-powered features automatically for new users or those upgrading to the latest versions of its operating systems.

The AI upgrade will only be available to devices that feature Apple Intelligence, such as the iPhone 15 Pro and after, iPads and Macs with the Apple Silicon M1 CPU or later, and the most recent iPad mini.

Apple Intelligence debuted in October with iOS 18.1, providing users with capabilities such as Writing Tools, better Siri, and the controversial notification summaries, which were later removed to address issues with erroneous news alerts. iOS 18.3 released in December included Genmoji, Image Playground, and ChatGPT connectivity.

Apple Intelligence will be activated by default on iPhones in the next iOS 18.3 update. Apple disclosed the update in the iOS 18.3 Release Candidate (RC), which went live to beta users on Tuesday. Users were previously asked whether they wanted to enable artificial intelligence (AI) features; however, this will no longer be the case in the future. Notably, the company plans to do the same with future updates to iPad and Mac devices.

The tech giant announced the new change in its iOS 18.3 RC release notes, emphasizing that users will not be able to choose whether or not to use Apple Intelligence when updating to iOS 18.3. This will only affect iPhone devices that already have AI functions.

Apple emphasized that Apple Intelligence will be enabled automatically during Mac onboarding for new users or those upgrading to macOS 18.3 with the latest update’s installation. Users will have access to Apple Intelligence features after their devices are set up. This means that when the device reboots, all of the AI functions will be activated. However, this does not imply that these features cannot be disabled. To disable Apple Intelligence, users can disable the AI functions on their iPhone by navigating to the Apple Intelligence & Siri Settings (Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri) page and turning off the Apple Intelligence toggle. This will disable the Apple Intelligence capabilities on their smartphone.

According to Apple’s instructions, after updating your device, you must manually disable Apple Intelligence if you do not want support for features such as AI notification summaries, Image Playground, and tools that can alter text running on your device. To turn off Apple Intelligence, go to the Apple Intelligence & Siri Settings pane and then off the Apple Intelligence option.

The latest move differs from the iPhone maker’s prior practice, which allowed consumers to choose whether or not to use AI capabilities. That was most likely done as the business attempted to resolve bugs and problems and optimize Apple Intelligence. However, it appears that the tech giant is confident in its in-house AI suite and wants more consumers to use it.

However, the company did not say if Apple Intelligence will be re-enabled for those who had switched it on briefly before manually deactivating it.

Notably, the iOS 18.3 release has no major new features. However, it reportedly made many improvements to the AI notification summaries tool, which was recently chastised for producing inaccurate summaries of news items.

Last week, iOS 18.3 beta testers discovered an update that will temporarily disable AI notification summaries for news and entertainment applications after the feature incorrectly summarized a BBC item. Apple will also make it simpler to detect notification summaries on your iPhone’s lock screen, while warning that they “may contain errors.”

AI features have not driven phone sales, with global iPhone sales falling 4.1% in Q4 2024. According to analysts, Apple Intelligence is only available in English-speaking countries, opening up opportunities for Chinese phone makers such as Xiaomi and Vivo, according to Jibin Joseph, based in Ahmedabad, India.