Apple Intelligence Takes A Backseat To Design At WWDC 2025

Apple Inc. unveiled the most sweeping changes to its design in its history, even while doing little to upgrade its artificial intelligence platform.

The Cupertino, California-based company introduced a number of AI features during its Worldwide Developers Conference on Monday, even as the much-awaited Siri upgrades remained a year away. What dominated proceedings, however, was its new “liquid glass” design, a revised nomenclature of its operating systems, and a thorough revamp of its iPadOS and macOS—the latest iteration is called ‘Tahoe’.

Essentially, Apple Intelligence has taken a gap year to focus on the basics.

Apart from an expanded relationship with OpenAI’s ChatGPT, here’s a look at the AI features announced at WWDC 2025:

AI Models: Apple has opened its core foundation models, its large language models, to allow developers to add AI-powered capabilities to their apps. These features work offline and don’t incur any cloud-computing costs.

Live Translation: Apple’s Messages, Phone and FaceTime will soon gain live translation to make it easier to have conversations when traveling abroad or if you’re chatting with someone who speaks another language. 

Text messages can be delivered in a recipient’s chosen language, and replies will be automatically translated to the sender’s preferred language. During phone calls, translations are spoken aloud throughout the course of a conversation. On FaceTime, users will see live caption translations on the screen as the speaker’s voice comes through.

On-Screen Content: Starting with iOS 26, Apple’s Visual Intelligence feature will be able to analyse images and text on an iPhone’s screen, and users can ask ChatGPT for more info about whatever they’re looking at. Users will also be able to search Google for images or products similar to what’s currently on their screen. This feature is extremely similar to Google’s Circle to Search functionality on Android.

Workout Buddy: Exclusive to the Apple Watch, an AI-generated voice assistant will keep users aware of their exercise benchmarks, workout progress and fitness goals. This voice coach is inspired by Apple Fitness+ instructors, according to the company, and is meant to keep people motivated throughout an exercise routine or run. 

Workout Buddy can be enabled when an Apple Watch is used with Bluetooth headphones. The feature will only be available in English and limited to popular workout types such as running, walking, outdoor cycling and high-intensity interval training, as well as functional and traditional strength training.

Wallet: Apple is continuing to expand the features of its Wallet app, which “can now identify and summarise order tracking details from emails sent from merchants or carriers” to provide a centralised hub for your deliveries.

Additionally, more Shortcuts apps in iOS 26 and macOS 26 will offer “intelligent actions” powered by Apple Intelligence. They will incorporate Writing Tools, Image Playground and other capabilities.