Apple released iOS 18.3, iPados 18.3 and macOS 15.3 with a significant change affecting AI. Since its inception, Apple Intelligence has required the extra step of turning it on or opting in. But with new versions, Apple’s AI feature is enabled by default for Eliglble devices.
Automatically enabled for new and upgraded users
Release notes for the new versions of the operating system released Monday indicate that Apple Intelligence will be automatically enabled for new and upgraded users, giving them immediate access to its AI-powered capabilities. Anyone who doesn’t want to use the AI will have to turn it off manually.
Also: I bought an iPhone 16 for its AI features, but didn’t even use them once – here’s why
Eligible devices that can run Apple Intelligence
Only eligible devices can benefit from Apple intelligence. These include any iPhone 16, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, any iPad Pro or iPad Air with an M1 chip or later, the iPad Mini with the A17 chip Pro and Macs with an M1 chip or later.
Apple Intelligence now chews up around 7 GB of storage, up from 4 GB initially. Turning off the technology doesn’t automatically reclaim that space, at least not right away. But if you don’t plan to use AI at all, you can definitely turn it off. To do this, go to Settings, select Apple Intelligence & Siri, then turn off the switch for Apple Intelligence.
What else has been updated?
The latest OS updates kick in a few more changes. Following issues with AI-generated summaries, Apple will now more clearly indicate when a summary has been prepared by AI by italicizing the review. On the downside, Apple temporarily disabled notification summaries for news following complaints that the summaries were not accurate or reliable.
Also: Why you shouldn’t buy the iPhone 16 for Apple Intelligence
Designed for iPhone 16, the Visual Intelligence option lets you unearth details about the people, places, and things you capture with the camera control. With iOS 18.3, you can now use visual intelligence to add an event to your calendar from a poster or flyer and identify plants and animals.
With MacOS 15.3, Apple added Genmoji to the Mac, so you can create your own custom Genmoji based on text descriptions and people in your photo library. Additionally, Apple fixed a bug that prevented you from generating a Genmoji without selecting a different person from your library.
The latest versions also add several security fixes. In iOS/iPados 18.3 And macOS Sequoia 15.3 are 26 bug fixes covering features like AirPlay, Passkeys, and Safari.
Also: What is Apple Intelligence? Everything you need to know
Otherwise, the new updates are relatively minor. Bigger changes are expected with iOS/iPados 18.4 and MacOS 15.4 this spring, most likely in late March or early April. These would improve Siri by adding screen awareness and integration with third-party apps.
