Apple Intelligence is a huge failure

The use of AI is rapidly pervasive throughout our lives and, as Apple always does, they are late to the bandwagon. Apple Intelligence soft-launched in September with very rudimentary features. As they slowly start to include more and more in keeping with their original promise, I can’t help but be disappointed with the results.

Apple has a pretty good track record of at least getting it right, albeit late. It took us years to add widgets to iOS and macOS, but the delay allowed us to get valuable feedback from those around us who may have made some mistakes along the way. . The same goes for features like Dynamic Islands. This was a relatively new idea of ​​what to do with an on-display “hole-punch” camera. But when it comes to Apple Intelligence, it feels like Apple hasn’t learned anything from its surroundings. Here are four reasons why Apple’s AI is a total failure.

4

Intravenous release schedule

Drag feels like a long beta

Apple has been shifting the release schedule of their AI integrations, and I think that has only hurt them. They failed to create a buzz with a ton of new features right off the bat, and instead “released” Apple Intelligence with very few features to begin with. A few more features were added in December, but they were much more of a cry than a shocker. People around me who have Apple devices that can use Apple Intelligence haven’t bothered to update them. Because, why update? If something needs to be quickly proofread or rewritten, they’re already using other AI solutions for that. Personally, I don’t mind testing future features in beta testing, but that becomes impossible when most interesting features are months away from what would have been a formal release. The average consumer gets excited about Apple’s latest innovations.

3

The gimmick is advertised front and center

Apple ads make it look like a toy

I don’t know how often you use emojis, but I use them half the time when I text my friends and family. I have 4-5 favorite emojis, but I save the rest for special occasions. I have a hard time getting excited about something like Genji, it feels pretty gimmicky. This is fine as long as it’s not heavily advertised, such as on major TV broadcasts.

The ad showcases what I understand to be proofreading and rewriting abilities. These ads target a very specific audience and show exactly what Apple Intelligence’s capabilities mean. However, I can’t help but feel a little disappointed when I dedicate an entire ad to Genji. If you’re particularly excited, we’re not going to rain on your parade. Generate new emojis and use them to your heart’s content. But I think the majority of users would like to see something more useful first and foremost. If this is supposed to be a generational leap in the way we use Apple devices, then let’s put the meat and potatoes first and the condiments for later.

2

Siri itself is still missing

Things that needed updating the most were not updated.

It’s set to be revamped in the next major Apple Intelligence update, scheduled for March 2025, but Siri hasn’t been great for years. It feels like one of the most obvious things Apple should have done first was update Siri to make it worth using.

At the moment, Siri still seems to be struggling with basic tasks, but the more “advanced” tasks that Apple has tentatively allowed it to do are not working as well. For example, when I ask Siri if I sent Michael anything about a recent sports deal, it tells me that Apple Cash isn’t available in my country. It’s true, Siri, Apple Cash isn’t available in Canada, but that’s not what I was looking for. For now, Siri is still an afterthought. Had it been fixed when Apple Intelligence was released, it would have been enough to hold people back until other features were ready to be released, but instead they give us Genmoji and some glorified ChatGPT tools. I did.

Maybe I could have spent a little more time in the oven.

This is probably the most useful feature currently included in Apple Intelligence, but Writing Tools still feels undercooked. It’s quick and does everything I ask it to, but there are some small quality-of-life aspects that feel like they’re missing the point, which is very unlike Apple.

When I asked them to rewrite a paragraph or sentence, I initially thought that the different points would just not be highlighted and it would be very difficult to see if something had actually changed. This behavior exists, but is not always used. It does this if you are asked to proofread it, but it doesn’t seem to do it otherwise. For example, if you ask Apple Intelligence to rewrite something to make it more professional, Apple Intelligence will rewrite it, but it won’t explain exactly what changed. Finding clever ways to display “before and after” is crucial to making it look like you’re actually doing something, and it’s easy to think of something that should help you write. It seems like that. This behavior is also present on the iPhone, so it is by no means an accident.

Possible, but doesn’t live up to the hype

Rather than try to reinvent the wheel, Apple took the safe route by integrating ChatGPT into Apple Intelligence. I’d appreciate it if it only sends queries off-device when necessary and notifies you beforehand, but I think it’s totally missing the point at this point. I think what they promised certainly looks good on paper, but what they’ve now put into the hands of consumers is pretty disappointing.