Apple’s most significant product launch of the year is coming this month, and no, it’s not the $3,500 headset. Instead, it’s Apple Intelligence, a new suite of AI-driven software tools that will soon be available via free updates for certain iPhones, Macs, and iPads.

Apple Intelligence will initially be released as a “beta” version, with improvements to Siri, the ability to automatically summarize text, transcribe audio recordings, and even remove distractions like photobombers from pictures.

This launch marks a new chapter for Apple, which restructured its operations following the rise of OpenAI’s ChatGPT two years ago. Concerned that its devices might seem outdated without comparable AI capabilities, Apple halted its decade-long self-driving car project, reassigning engineers to focus on Apple Intelligence instead.

While the initial release lacks some of the more hyped features introduced in June, such as ChatGPT integration, Apple plans to roll these out next year. Siri, for instance, still won’t be able to pull data from multiple apps to provide insights like whether you’ll be late for a meeting. However, Apple assures that these features are on the way.

After testing Apple Intelligence for a week, I found that many features are hidden throughout the software, integrated into various parts of Apple’s system, such as text and photo editing tools.

Some features, like proofreading and audio transcription, were quite helpful. Others, like web article summarization and photo distraction removal, were inconsistent and often better left unused.

Overall, while Apple Intelligence could become a must-have in the future, it’s not yet a reason to invest in new hardware.

Apple Intelligence will be compatible with the iPhone 16 series, last year’s iPhone 15 Pro, and a selection of iPads and Macs released over the past four years. Below are the standout features, as well as those you might want to skip when the update is released.

Useful Apple Intelligence Features:

Transcribing Audio Recordings
One long-awaited addition is automatic transcription in the voice memos app. When recording audio, the app now generates a transcript in real time. As someone who frequently records interviews, I was impressed with how well it worked. During a recent tech company meeting, I recorded the conversation, and the app produced an accurate transcript that even differentiated between speakers. Although there were occasional errors with mumbled words, the overall experience was a big time-saver for searching specific parts of the conversation.

Asking Siri for Apple Product Assistance
Navigating Apple devices can be tricky, given the complexity of their software. With Apple Intelligence, Siri can now help with navigating features on Apple products. For instance, I often forget how to use split-screen mode on the iPad. Asking Siri for help quickly brought up a step-by-step guide. However, Siri still has limitations, such as being unable to assist with using Apple Intelligence for email rewriting, instead offering a list of Google search results.

Speeding Up Writing
Apple Intelligence also includes writing assistance, such as proofreading and generating automatic responses for emails. I found the auto-response feature useful for handling a persistent car dealership salesperson. As for proofreading, I was impressed when it quickly polished an email by adding punctuation I had missed.

Apple Intelligence Features to Skip:

Removing Distractions from Photos
One of the most talked-about features is the ability to remove distractions from photos, like photobombers. Unfortunately, the “Clean Up” tool didn’t deliver. In my tests, it removed background elements but replaced them with unrecognizable patches of pixels. On a separate attempt, the tool created a distorted version of my couch after trying to remove a blanket. This feature needs further refinement.

Summarizing Text
Another key feature is summarizing text from various apps, such as emails and web articles. While the idea sounds great, the execution was lacking. For example, a summary of a 1,200-word article on the pros and cons of eating tuna missed the mark, incorrectly advising readers to consume a type of tuna high in mercury. Similarly, the tool failed to generate useful summaries from my meeting notes, overlooking key points.

In conclusion, while some of Apple Intelligence’s tools show promise, others are not quite ready for prime time.