Apple rolls out iOS 18 without AI features, targets October for debut

Apple has released its iOS 18 developer beta for eligible iPhone models but not with the artificial intelligence features the company promised back in June. According to a report from Bloomberg, Apple’s latest artificial intelligence (AI) enhancements are set to arrive in October, missing the initial rollout of iPhone and iPad software updates,

Bloomberg said the iPhone maker decided to decouple its Apple Intelligence features from the initial iOS launch, citing concerns about stability and the need for extensive testing.

“Apple Inc.’s upcoming artificial intelligence features will arrive later than anticipated, missing the initial launch of its upcoming iPhone and iPad software overhauls but giving the company more time to fix bugs,” Bloomberg reported.

On June 10, Apple announced that its AI features would debut in a beta version this fall, aiming to boost the sales of its new iPhones. These features will be exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro models and newer. Some highly anticipated elements, including ChatGPT integration and enhancements to Siri, are scheduled for a later release this year.

Developers are expected to get their hands on Apple Intelligence as early as this week with the iOS 18.1 beta, Bloomberg stated.

“The company is planning to begin rolling out Apple Intelligence to customers as part of software updates coming by October, according to people with knowledge of the matter. That means the AI features will arrive a few weeks after the initial iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 releases planned for September, said the people, who declined to be identified discussing unannounced release details.”

Apple first introduced Apple Intelligence on June 10. The AI features, which will be available on all Macs and iPads with the M1 chip or newer, include capabilities like proofreading and rewriting text in various tones, creating custom emojis, and summarizing and transcribing phone calls.

Back in June, Apple confirmed that the ChatGPT integration will be accessible later this year, with additional AI features to follow. Notably, users can access the chatbot for free without account creation, and Apple assures that user requests and information will not be logged. Subscribers to ChatGPT Plus, Teams, or Enterprise can connect their accounts to unlock premium features via Apple Intelligence experiences. Crucially, users will retain control over AI usage, with explicit permission required for each cloud-based ChatGPT interaction.

The ChatGPT integration will be available in iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia, though OpenAI features won’t be live until later this year. Apple also hinted at future support for other AI models, indicating no long-term exclusivity with OpenAI.