Apple auto-enables Intelligence features

Apple changed the default setup for its AI system in January 2025, when iOS 18.3, iPadOS 18.3 and macOS Sequoia 15.3 began turning on Apple Intelligence automatically for supported devices, according to Apple’s developer release notes and Apple Support documentation. The change meant users no longer had to opt in during onboarding to start using the company’s writing, image-generation and summarization features. (support.apple.com) (developer.apple.com) Apple’s own wording was explicit. “For users new or upgrading to iOS 18.3, Apple Intelligence will be enabled automatically during iPhone onboarding,” the developer notes said, adding that users who want it off must go into the Apple Intelligence & Siri settings pane and disable it manually. (apple.com) Apple Support’s enterprise page used similar language, saying the feature is “turned on automatically after updating to iOS 18.3 or during device setup” unless mobile-device-management settings skip that pane. (developer.apple.com) ### When did Apple start doing this? January 27, 2025, is when the change became widely visible, as Apple released iOS 18.3 and related software updates and outside coverage highlighted the new default behavior. (cnbc.com) Apple’s release notes tie the automatic enablement specifically to iOS 18.3 onboarding for users who were new or upgrading. (developer.apple.com) Apple did not present the shift as a separate product launch. The policy appeared in release documentation rather than a standalone announcement, and users retained the ability to turn the feature off afterward in Settings. (support.apple.com) ### What exactly gets turned on? Apple Intelligence is Apple’s AI layer across supported iPhones, iPads, Macs and Vision Pro devices, and Apple says it is integrated into apps and system experiences to help users write, summarize, generate images and complete tasks. (cnbc.com) Apple Support says users need a compatible device, the latest software and Apple Intelligence switched on in Settings. (developer.apple.com) Apple’s support page also says on-device models begin downloading after a software update, and it lists 7 GB of required on-device storage for supported iPhones, iPads and Macs. If a user later turns Apple Intelligence off, Apple says those on-device models are removed from the device. (developer.apple.com) ### Why did the change draw attention again now? May 11, 2026, brought a fresh round of scrutiny because iOS 26.5 arrived without major user-facing Apple Intelligence additions, according to AppleInsider’s review of the release. (support.apple.com) That left the older default-on decision looking more consequential, because the software still broadens exposure to Apple’s AI tools even when a given update does not introduce a headline feature. AppleInsider reported that iOS 26.5 appeared to include groundwork for back-end changes, including Apple Intelligence in China, but “no indications of AI upgrades” for users. (support.apple.com) Apple has not, in the materials reviewed here, announced a new reversal of the default-on behavior for current Apple Intelligence rollouts. (appleinsider.com) ### What does Apple say about privacy if AI is on by default? Apple says the “cornerstone” of Apple Intelligence is on-device processing, which it describes as handling personal context without collecting personal information. (appleinsider.com) For more complex requests, Apple says the system can use Private Cloud Compute, which runs on Apple silicon servers and does not store user data. Apple also says users can generate an Apple Intelligence Report from the Privacy & Security section of Settings to see requests sent to Private Cloud Compute over the last 15 minutes or seven days. (developer.apple.com) For managed devices, Apple says administrators can disable some Apple Intelligence functions and control external integrations such as ChatGPT through MDM policies. (support.apple.com) ### Where can users check whether it is enabled? Apple says the control lives under Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri on iPhone and related settings on other supported devices. That is also where users can switch the feature off if it was enabled during onboarding or after an update. (support.apple.com) June 8-12, 2026, is Apple’s next scheduled WWDC event, and the company has said the conference will spotlight updates across its platforms, including AI advancements. Apple is expected to use that event, which opens with a June 8 special day at Apple Park, to outline the next phase of its software roadmap. (support.apple.com) (apple.com) (developer.apple.com)