AI: WHAT YOU NEEDED TO KNOW

AI can be brilliant when put to proper use but it also has some major downsides

WRITTEN BY DAVID CROOKES

Image credit: Andriy Onufriyenko/Moment via Getty Images

Artificial intelligence (AI) is everywhere. Hardly a day goes by without it being discussed or debated. It’s already transforming how we interact with our devices and it’s reshaping workplaces around the world. Consumers are discovering new ways to be creative and productive, while companies heavily invested in AI are reaping the rewards. But is it really delivering on its promise?

There are certainly many benefits to AI. It’s being used effectively in medicine where it can support clinical decisions, allow patients to be triaged more effectively, and improve outcomes whether in relation to admission, stays or conditions. AI can also assist in interpreting imaging results and in automating tasks to allow medical staff more time to interact with those in their care. Elsewhere, banks are using it for fraud detection and risk management. Manufacturers are employing AI for speedy quality control and the likes of Amazon and Netflix lean on it to personalise product suggestions. Retailers use AI to predict sales trends and optimise stock, and it’s playing a fundamental role in robotics.

AI is delivering plenty of benefits for consumers, too. Fire up a recent Apple device and you’ll quickly see it in action. With Apple Intelligence, for example, notifications can be summarised so you can grasp the gist of an alert and quickly decide whether it’s worth opening. Apple Intelligence also helps prioritise notifications, ensuring important info reaches you first. In that sense, AI is a timesaver. As of iOS 26, Apple has brought back AI-powered news and entertainment summaries, You can keep on top of Mail and Messages, again thanks to summaries, but also smart replies. Writing Tools – which is available in the majority of apps in which you can write – will proofread, rewrite and organise text. Combine it with ChatGPT and it’ll even compose a draft.

Enhancing your experience

Indeed, with ChatGPT enabled, your iPhone can give in-depth answers to the questions you ask Siri, and make use of more AI-driven tools such as Visual Intelligence, which uses the iPhone’s camera or screenshots and allows you to learn more about what’s around you on your device’s screen. Apple Intelligence also lets you use photos of people and text descriptions to create pictures using Image Playground and it’s possible to generate your own emoji too.

Throw in the likes of Image Wand which will turn your rough sketches in Notes into images; the ability to create memory movies; the Clean Up tool which removes unwanted objects from photo backgrounds; and a feature that can translate messages, calls and conversations, and you’ve got quite a stack of AI functions to enhance your Apple device experience. But is AI really truly a game changer or could it end up becoming more of a distraction?