iPhone users are disabling Apple Intelligence – here’s why
Despite being worth almost $4 trillion, Apple has seemingly failed its users with its new AI feature. We have a few ideas why.
Image by Cybernews.
Despite being worth almost $4 trillion, Apple has seemingly failed its users with its new AI feature. We have a few ideas why.
“Need Siri/Apple Intelligence to be a bit more intelligent than funny,” said one X user who took to the platform to complain about Apple Intelligence (or lack thereof).
The post is accompanied by a video that shows the user prompting Apple Intelligence to convert South Korean Won into USD. The user writes a prompt, “convert ₩45.6 billion to USD.”
Some might think this is an unusual sum to Google, but its most likely to do with the Netflix sequel Squid Game 2, where the contestants have the chance to win ₩45.6 billion.
Siri, or Apple Intelligence, says that it could convert 45.6 billion South Korean Won into 45.6 billion United States Dollars, but the process would be “self-fulfilling.”
The user then enters the sum, ₩45.6 billion, into Google, which reveals a totally different conversion – the sum is roughly $31 million.
Need Siri / Apple Intelligence to be a bit more intelligent than funny pic.twitter.com/dHl8WO2Upl
undefined rohit (@rohitghosh_) December 26, 2024
This post, which got around 5.9K views, is only one in a slew of posts about Apple Intelligence that are circulating around X today. But they’ve got one thing in common, all the posts are about how Apple Intelligence sucks.
Andriy Burkov, an author focused on artificial intelligence (AI) broadcast this to his 33,000 followers.
“You don't hear anything bad about Apple Intelligence because nobody uses it.”
This sparked comments from the likes of self-proclaimed AI pioneer Robert Scoble, who has dubbed the system “Apple Unintelligence.”
I do. Call it “Apple Unintelligence.”
undefined Robert Scoble (@Scobleizer) January 12, 2025
At the time of writing, Apple Intelligence was trending on X, but for all the wrong reasons. This got me thinking…how did a multi-trillion-dollar company get AI so wrong?
Produces inaccurate results
Much like the post above, Apple Intelligence often provides users with inaccurate information.
For example, Apple Intelligence created false headlines regarding the UnitedHealthcare shooter Luigi Mangione, saying that he had shot himself.
Another story reported by The New York Times showed Apple Intelligence falsely summarizing a story saying that Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, was arrested – when he actually wasn’t.
Apple AI notification summaries continue to be so so so bad
undefined Ken Schwencke (@schwanksta.com) November 21, 2024 at 9:22 PM
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These instances prompted media outlets like the BBC to contact Apple directly and suggest that the tech be shut down altogether.
No different from the old Siri
“Apple Intelligence no different from regular Siri,” one X user replied to Burkov’s post.
A journalist at CNET wrote an article explaining that users shouldn’t expect their iPhones to feel much different.
While the journalist expressed that the summary feature (while inaccurate at times) is by far the most useful feature, she did detail some caveats.
“One of my biggest criticisms about new AI tools in general is that they require the user to think of a prompt or go out of their way to take advantage of these features.”
So instead of feeling intuitive, it takes more work than necessary to capitalize on the new tech, making the whole experience and system itself feel a bit rushed.
Apple rushed into AI
Many users, and media outlets, feel that Apple rushed into Apple Intelligence.
Apple Intelligence was announced in June 2024 and then began rolling out its first batch of features in October.
By the time Tim Cook announced Apple Intelligence back in June, big players like Google, Microsoft, Meta, and Amazon had already invested billions of dollars into powering generative AI models.
While the Financial Times reminds us that Apple is less focused on pioneering the latest technologies and more about perfecting them, this may be why users are so frustrated with Apple Intelligence.
The AI feature is far from perfect, making users feel as if Apple Intelligence was bought out just to show the competition that Apple is still in the running.
Poor marketing
You might have heard the phrase “Apple Intelligence is here,” or the tagline “AI for the rest of us.”
These are examples of Apple’s marketing of its intelligence feature, which seem out of place when you consider how well the feature functions.
Apple Intelligence in fact isn’t here, because Europeans don’t have access, the UK has limited access, and US users complain about its lack of functionality.
Furthermore, Apple’s commercials for Apple Intelligence are borderline insulting. One of the ads shows an overweight, obnoxious, and lazy office worker calling on Apple Intelligence to help him craft an email.
Another ad shows a disheveled woman who has forgotten her partner's birthday. She then frantically creates a collage using Apple Intelligence which shows him doing woodwork with his kids.
Is this what you think of your customers Apple?
Perhaps it's not “AI for all,” but AI for the lazy, AI for the obnoxious, or AI for the average idiot.
I switched from Android to Apple for the latest features, and I can say that I’m not looking forward to when Apple Intelligence drops in Europe – especially if it comes with the same experiences as users overseas.
“Maybe Apple just needs a better marketing team?” said one disgruntled X user.
I think it’s going to take a little more than that.