Apple is set to unveil a major step forward in artificial intelligence integration at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on June 9, giving third-party developers the ability to use its proprietary AI models within their own apps for the first time.
The move signals a major expansion of Apple Intelligence, the company’s suite of generative AI tools introduced in 2024. The new initiative will provide developers with access to a software toolkit designed to harness Apple’s large language models (LLMs), enabling them to build new features or enhance existing ones using the same AI technology that powers the iPhone’s on-device intelligence.
Apple Intelligence currently includes capabilities such as smart email rewriting, automatic notification summarization, and advanced photo editing tools—features aimed at streamlining the user experience across Apple’s ecosystem of devices. By opening these tools to developers, Apple aims to foster a broader AI-powered app ecosystem while maintaining its commitment to user privacy and device-side processing.
Importantly, Apple is expected to begin offering smaller AI models that can run entirely on users’ devices. This approach aligns with the company’s privacy-first philosophy and reduces reliance on cloud-based AI processing, setting it apart from rivals like Google and Microsoft, which lean heavily on server-side AI infrastructure.
Until now, developers could integrate Apple’s AI-powered system features into their apps but were restricted from building directly with the company’s models. This upcoming change will allow them to create and run their own AI features based on Apple’s in-house models, unlocking new creative and commercial possibilities.
Analysts view the decision as a pivotal moment for Apple’s AI strategy. While the company has faced criticism for lagging behind competitors in the generative AI race, its latest move could bolster its standing by putting powerful tools directly into the hands of developers.
The announcement is expected to be a headline feature of the WWDC keynote, alongside updates to iOS, macOS, and other Apple platforms. With tech rivals increasingly integrating AI into core services, Apple’s expansion into developer-accessible AI models is likely to shape the next wave of innovation within its app ecosystem.
More details are expected to be revealed at the conference, including how Apple plans to manage developer access, model training, and performance standards across different device generations.
