iOS 18.2 is rolling out today, bringing the next wave of Apple Intelligence features with it.1
The splashiest feature is Image Playgrounds, which allows users to create images based on photos in their image libraries:
(Don’t look too closely at my hand in the image on the right.)
Apple’s system will not create realistic images, and is instead limited to two styles: “Animation” and “Illustration,” as you can see here:
I suspect Apple didn’t want to go anywhere near the issues that arise when your AI can generate lifelike images, but I also suspect their technology can’t pull it off anyway.
I find Genmoji — the feature for creating custom emoji within Messages — to be much more compelling and fun. I honestly wish the Image Playgrounds app would make images in this style:
Here’s a collection of Genmoji I have made over the last several weeks, with my personal favorite, which Apple Intelligence generated when I used a prompt that said “AI on the mind.”
(Federico Viticci in a cowboy hat is a close, close second.)
I’m not that impressed with what Apple has done here, but I think that’s okay.
I am glad Apple is not creating lifelike images with these tools, but of course, many services are doing that. This week, OpenAI launched SORA, its video creation tools. We are all running headlong into a world where being able to tell real news apart from the fake is going to be harder than ever, and that’s troubling. But hey, at least I got to make a ripped John Voorhees Genmoji with my iPhone!
