Artificial intelligence may be the buzzword of the year, but at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2025, it took a quieter role. While flashy design changes like the new Liquid Glass interface grabbed most of the attention, Apple still introduced a handful of meaningful updates to its Apple Intelligence platform. At WWDC 2025, Apple seems to have focused on expanding access and improving the utility of tech. Apple Intelligence debuted last year as Apple’s system-wide AI layer. Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering, mentioned that the models powering Apple Intelligence are becoming more capable and efficient, with features being integrated into more places across each operating system.

Developers can now tap into Apple’s private on-device foundation model and build their own features using Apple’s on-device large language model. This move allows more third-party apps to benefit from intelligent features without sending data to external servers, sparking a new wave of intelligent experiences. Apple is also adding support for eight more languages to Apple Intelligence, including Dutch, Swedish, Turkish, and Vietnamese, in addition to the existing support for around 10 Indian languages.

What's New for Users?

While major upgrades like a Siri overhaul or a ChatGPT rival were not announced, Apple introduced some noticeable upgrades for users. Live Translation is a new feature coming to the Messages, FaceTime, and Phone apps with iOS 26, enabling real-time translation of messages and live conversations across languages. Workout Buddy on Apple Watch offers a more personalized coaching experience with AI-infused insights during workouts. Genmoji and Image Playground features have also been enhanced, allowing users to create new emoji combinations, experiment with artistic styles, and utilize Visual Intelligence for advanced screenshot capabilities.

Apple Intelligence Developer Access

The most significant announcement is the access given to third-party developers to Apple’s core AI model for building smart features directly into their workflows, even offline. This move could shape Apple’s software ecosystem in the future, paving the way for AI-powered note-taking, translation, and document formatting within apps.

Despite a quieter presentation this year, Apple is expected to make bigger AI moves in 2026, with reports suggesting a deeper showcase of Apple Intelligence features and innovations. The company is also strengthening its AI capabilities through partnerships with OpenAI and Google, with plans to integrate Gemini into Siri in the future, as confirmed by Google CEO Sundar Pichai.