The latest iPhone 16 series from Apple showcases new colors, a redesigned camera button, and most importantly, a new artificial intelligence system.

This tech giant is preparing to launch features from “Apple Intelligence,” a personalized AI system capable of performing tasks across various applications, in beta next month. The company promises that this technology will assist users in writing friendly emails, generating emojis, and enabling Siri to gather information, such as notifying you about a family member’s flight arrival time.

But how will these new capabilities impact user privacy?

Recently, Apple explained its strategy for maintaining data security as the AI system is introduced. Technology privacy experts and advocates informed YSL News that while these proposals appear innovative, they are keenly waiting to see how effectively they are implemented.

“There’s a lot of innovative thinking around privacy with this new system, but there are still outstanding questions about how well these measures will function, especially when compared to what other companies might be doing,” stated Miranda Bogen, director of the AI Governance Lab at the Center for Democracy and Technology.

Understanding Apple Intelligence

Apple Intelligence will be accessible only on devices equipped with compatible chips, including the iPhone 16 series, iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, as well as select iPads and Macs with M1 and newer chips.

The rollout begins next month with the introduction of iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1.

New features will include:

◾ A more intuitive and adaptable Siri, equipped with enhanced language understanding capabilities, enabling the assistant to stay in tune with users even when they fumble their words across multiple inquiries.

◾ New writing tools that assist users in rewriting, proofreading, and summarizing text in Mail, Notes, Pages, and third-party applications.

◾ Photo enhancements, including a “Memories” feature that allows users to create movies just by typing a description, improved search functionalities, and a “Clean Up” tool for removing unwanted background objects from photos.

◾ Updates to the Notes and Phone applications, enabling users to record, transcribe, and summarize audio. The Phone app will alert participants at the start of a recording, and AI will provide a summary of key discussion points post-call.

Apple indicated that more features will be rolled out in the coming months, which may include access to OpenAI’s ChatGPT from various applications within the operating system.

Dan Ives, an analyst at Wedbush Securities, speculated that Apple could sell over 240 million iPhones in fiscal 2025, thanks in part to these new AI capabilities.

“We predict that (the iPhone 16) will be the most successful iPhone launch in history, as Apple Intelligence will act as the foundation for a global consumer AI revolution,” Ives stated in a note released on Monday.

Commitments to Privacy

Apple asserts that its AI system is “engineered to safeguard users’ privacy at every stage.”

There are two main approaches Apple Intelligence will utilize for processing: the first is on-device processing, which is typically favored for privacy protection.

“On-device processing helps ensure that sensitive, personal data remains under the user’s control,” explained John Verdi, senior vice president of policy at the Future of Privacy Forum, a think tank devoted to data privacy.

For more complex requests that cannot be managed on-device, Apple is implementing Private Cloud Compute. This cloud-based intelligence system aims for secure AI processing, and Apple assures that users’ data is neither stored nor shared back with the company when utilizing the cloud.

Private Cloud Compute guarantees that personal user data “is not accessible to anyone other than the user – not even to Apple,” the company stated in a blog post from June. “We believe PCC represents the most advanced security architecture deployed for large-scale cloud AI processing.”

Apple also expressed plans to provide software images of each production version of Private Cloud Compute so security researchers can verify its performance and spot potential issues.

This level of transparency “is a positive development,” but users should not expect immediate outcomes from such investigations, according to Thorin Klosowski, a security and privacy advocate at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a nonprofit digital rights organization.

“It will require some time before we fully comprehend what they’re doing, how it operates, and whether it’s effective,” he cautioned, urging users to refrain from sharing overly sensitive personal information.

He added: “Conceptually, it appears promising.”

“Numerous technical queries and specifics about how (the Private Cloud Compute) functions and its efficacy persist, but it undoubtedly acknowledges that confidentiality is a significant concern,” stated Alan Butler, executive director and president of the Electronic Privacy Information Center.

Information Center, a nonprofit dedicated to research on privacy rights.

For Apple users wishing to access ChatGPT via Siri or Writing Tools, Apple has stated that their IP addresses will be anonymized. All data shared will be clearly indicated, and OpenAI will not keep records of requests or utilize that information for training purposes. Those who opt to link their ChatGPT account will be subject to ChatGPT’s data-usage policies, but Apple users can still use ChatGPT without needing to register for an account.

Apple has not provided a timeline for the release of this feature.

“Whenever Apple collaborates with an automotive or AI company, it slightly shifts away from the typical Apple ecosystem,” noted Ryan Calo, a professor and co-director at the University of Washington’s Tech Policy Lab. “However, I’m not particularly worried unless we have reason to believe that Apple is mishandling data.”