New details have emerged regarding Apple's plans for integrating artificial intelligence features into iOS 18. According to a report from AppleInsider, the upcoming update will enable users of iPhones and iPads to utilize AI technology to summarize lengthy text messages, similar to the "Catch me up" command implemented by Humane AI Pin. Additionally, iOS 18 is said to introduce the capability to generate simple text-based responses. These advancements are part of a broader range of improvements and upgrades anticipated for iOS 18, encompassing generative AI, an enhanced Siri experience, improved accessibility features, and more. Sources familiar with Apple's forthcoming software update, as cited by AppleInsider, reveal that the generative AI functionality will provide users with the TLDR (Too Long; Didn't Read) version of extensive text messages. To achieve this, Apple's on-device AI, which will be discussed in more detail shortly, reportedly scans the text, identifies relevant keywords and phrases, and assigns them as text topics. As an example, if a person's name appears at the beginning of a message, the software is likely to recognize it as the author's name, according to the publication. Subsequently, the software extracts "all available relevant information, " encompassing entities such as companies, individuals, and locations, to generate a basic text summary. This summary then serves as input for Apple's on-device response generation software, which constructs a more coherent answer. The feature is expected to cover information from both Safari and Messages, and it may potentially extend its functionality to other text fields or digital documents.

Additionally, the newly introduced Intelligent Search feature in Safari 18 will allow users to generate concise summaries of any webpages they are viewing. Apple's on-device AI has even been equipped with the capability to respond to text messages. In a previous preview of Apple's AI plans via the iOS 17. 4 beta, references were made to a private framework called "SiriSummarization, " which interacts with the ChatGPT API. Last summer, Bloomberg reported that Apple had commenced internal testing of its own AI chatbot, internally dubbed "Apple GPT. " The company has also been developing its own framework, "Ajax, " to construct large language models (LLMs). Notably, these AI features, including the summarization tool, are said to rely on on-device processing and a local execution of a large language model, deviating from the cloud-based approach adopted by competitors. This translates to faster response times and enhanced privacy, as no data is transmitted to external servers. Moreover, offline functionality is a valuable asset of the on-device approach. "As the company's text analysis software is capable of functioning entirely on-device, this could give Apple an advantage against the competition in the area of privacy protection, " notes AppleInsider. Furthermore, Apple has been exploring the usage of Ajax to generate brief responses consisting of a single sentence within milliseconds. This functionality would allow for communication with the Calendar app, enabling consideration of events when drafting a response. However, while Ajax can generate basic on-device text-based responses, more complex replies or summaries will still necessitate server-side processing, according to AppleInsider. As we await the release of iOS 18 and the opportunity to experience Apple's AI features firsthand, it should be noted that the unveiling of this year's iPhone software update may occur at WWDC 2024 on June 10. Should these rumors prove accurate, iOS 18 appears to be poised to deliver significant advancements, making it one of the most substantial updates for the iPhone in recent memory.