How to Use AI on Your iPhone

Your iPhone uses AI in dozens of clever ways, and most of it happens quietly in the background. You don't need to be a tech expert. This guide covers the AI you already have on your phone, plus a couple of apps worth adding.

The AI Already in Your iPhone

Apple has been building AI into the iPhone's software for years. Often, it works so quietly in the background that you don't even notice it's there. Here are a few examples:

• Siri: When you say "Hey Siri, set a timer for 10 minutes" or "What's the weather like?", that's AI at work. Siri uses AI to understand your voice, figure out what you want, and give you an answer.
• The Photos App: Have you ever typed "dog" into the search bar in your Photos app and seen all the pictures of your pet appear? That's AI. The phone analyses your photos to recognise objects, places, and even people's faces, all done privately on your device.
• Smart Suggestions: Your iPhone learns your routines. It might suggest your favourite news app when you wake up, or tell you how long it will take to drive to your next calendar appointment. This predictive ability is a form of AI.
• Portrait Mode in the Camera: The feature that beautifully blurs the background of a photo to make the person stand out is a clever AI trick. It identifies the subject and separates it from the background in real-time.

Adding More Powerful AI to Your iPhone

The built-in features are great for day-to-day tasks, but you can also install apps that give you direct access to conversational AI, just like the ones you can use on a computer.

1. The Official ChatGPT App

The best way to use ChatGPT on your iPhone is to download the official, free app from the App Store. It is made by OpenAI, the same company that runs the website, and it gives you the same powerful assistant in an easy-to-use app. You can type your questions or speak to it using your voice.

How to get it: Open the App Store, search for "ChatGPT", and make sure the developer is listed as "OpenAI". Download it, and you can log in with the same account you created on the website. If you haven't done that yet, our step-by-step ChatGPT setup guide walks you through it.

The app is free to use. You can find out exactly what's included at no cost in our guide to ChatGPT's free version.

2. The Microsoft Copilot App

Microsoft Copilot also has a free app worth trying. A big advantage is that it can access the internet for free, meaning its answers are more up-to-date than the free version of ChatGPT. It can also create images from your text descriptions. For a fuller explanation of what Copilot does, see our guide to Microsoft Copilot.

How to get it: Search for "Microsoft Copilot" in the App Store. It's a free download and you can sign in with a Microsoft account.

Practical Prompts to Try on Your iPhone

Here are a few things you can ask these AI apps on the go:

• "I'm at the supermarket. Can you give me a simple recipe for a spaghetti bolognese for four people?"
• "I've just seen a beautiful flower but don't know its name. It's red with five petals. Can you help me identify it?" (You can even take a photo and ask the app to identify it).
• "Write a quick text message to my friend Sarah, thanking her for a lovely dinner last night."
• "I'm visiting Edinburgh for the first time. What are three historical sites I must see?"

FAQ

Helpful Links

• ChatGPT on the App Store
• Microsoft Copilot on the App Store
• How to set up ChatGPT: a step-by-step guide
• Staying safe with AI