Apple Intelligence Enabled Automatically
When installing macOS Sequoia 15.3, iOS 18.3, or iPadOS 18.3, Apple Intelligence will be turned on automatically on compatible devices[…] With macOS Sequoia 15.1, macOS Sequoia 15.2, iOS 18.1, and iOS 18.2, Apple Intelligence was opt-in rather than opt-out, and users who wanted the feature needed to turn it on in the Settings app. Going forward, it will be enabled by default, and Mac, iPhone, and iPad users who do not want to use the feature will need to turn it off.
Oh my word.
Apple is going to auto enable AI summaries one random morning on your dad and grandma.
☠️🔥
Per Apple’s website, Apple Intelligence now requires 7GB of free storage.
The same 7GB number applies whether you’re using an iPhone, iPad, or Mac.
And since it uses the MobileAsset framework to deliver the models, they’ll get purged when the space is actually needed if Apple Intelligence is switched off.
I can’t seem to turn it off right now, either, because now it’s downloading, I guess?
The exact amount probably varies from device to device but, still, that is a considerable amount of new space required — a thirty-odd percent growth in operating system size in a nominally minor version update.
[…]
Apple still insists this is a beta, but it no longer has the excuse that users are opting in knowing the risks and flaws. These are just unfinished new features. It turns out problems and a lack of quality control magically become excusable if you just slap a beta badge on it. This is a trick Google has known about for decades.
Apple is following in the footsteps of Microsoft and Google here, rolling out new generative AI features to its user base as quickly as possible and enabling some or all of them by default while still labeling everything as a “beta” and pointing to that label when things go wrong.
I think based on the desperate attempts to get us to use it, most people aren’t that excited about it.
I think it’s funny how Apple holds back features from older devices with artificial software reasons or have hardware that they’ll include but not enable with the excuse “it wasn’t promised when we shipped it” (kinda like the paid original iPod touch software updates). Unlike that, everyone with a capable device is getting Apple Intelligence thrown upon us when it’s not even done. How about you go get the nonsense worked out with Masimo so I can get the blood oxygen sensor working on my Watch?!
I have mixed feelings about this decision. It’s pretty obvious that Apple Intelligence has a slew of shortcomings. It’s the nature of the beast, though, that it’s always going to have some shortcomings.
[…]
So the bar shouldn’t be “has obvious shortcomings”. It’s whether Apple Intelligence is good enough. Compared to other systems, like ChatGPT, no, it’s not good enough. But Apple has been enabling Siri by default since 2011. And Siri, today, is arguably worse than it’s ever been when compared to the state of the art.
[…]
If it’s not just merely shipping to all users, but now enabled by default, that’s not beta. That’s just buggy.
Ultimately, I’m neither surprised nor all that perturbed by Apple turning on Apple Intelligence for everyone.
[…]
Like so many other features Apple adds to its apps and operating systems, most Apple Intelligence features won’t get in your way, and those that might—like notification summaries—can be turned off independently.
Previously:
- macOS 15.3
- iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3
- Opting Out of Microsoft 365’s Copilot AI
- Apple Intelligence News Notification Summaries
- Misguided Apple Intelligence Ads
- iOS Apple Intelligence in EU in April 2025
- Apple Intelligence in macOS 15.2 and iOS 18.2
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Today Google asked me if I wanted a summary of an email that consisted of one single very clear sentence.
I clicked yes just to see what it would come up with.
"Sorry, summaries aren't available on Swedish yet"
I mean... What the fuck are we doing? As a species. What the actual fuck.
Engst: "…most Apple Intelligence features won’t get in your way…"
Taking up 7 GB of storage space is very much getting in the user's way.
Apple Intelligence gets a lot of hate in the tech media and especially their comment section. But I must say I appreciate some of the features (like notification and email summaries) while I find other just not for me (like genmoji).
John Gruber: "I have mixed feelings about this decision. On the one hand, this is clearly a bad idea. On the other hand, I am an Apple shill, so I must find a way to defend this."
@Kristoffer: My entire life feels as if we have been accelerating towards Idiocracy. It's just getting faster and more ubiquitous.
Most 'professional' commentators writings are excruciatingly polite about this enforced dross. Maybe not Lapcat. Apple leave me nothing short of disgusted.
How many more headlined updates am I going to be unmoved by? I have NO idea who they are for or who is getting excited by them? Children?
This reminds me of the forced upgrade to Sonoma 2 years ago. I would have been happy with Monterey. Sonoma is ok but I would hate to be "upgraded" to Sequoia without my consent. I hate the nagging about it in system prefs.
