If you happen to’re searching for one of the best AI expertise on a telephone, likelihood is two totally different AI makers come to thoughts. For the iPhone 16, Apple Intelligence is the reply, whereas for Pixel 9 sequence — and one of the best Android telephones — it’s Google’s Gemini. After all, you may as well obtain Gemini as a standalone app on the iPhone, however Apple Intelligence is the default AI choice.
Each firms supply a spread of almost equivalent options, at the very least in what they promise to supply, however there are additionally nuanced variations. Google Gemini is usually targeted on utilizing AI that will help you create, edit, and generate content material. In distinction, Apple Intelligence focuses extra on private use instances and integration throughout a spread of apps.
I’ve been utilizing each Gemini and Apple Intelligence for months and each AI providers have their execs and cons. After testing each for months, right here’s what I’ve discovered.
Activating Apple Intelligence and Gemini
Activating both AI platform is pretty intuitive, particularly when you’ve used an Android telephone or an iPhone earlier than. Gemini replaces Google Assistant because the default assistant in your telephone, though you may disable this which you will wish to do, particularly when you depend on Google Assistant in your sensible dwelling. Gemini may be activated mostly with a swipe from the underside nook of the display screen, though it’s additionally obtainable through the “Hey Google” sizzling phrase.
Equally, Apple Intelligence is baked into the revamped Siri which may be activated utilizing the “Hey Siri” codeword or by double urgent the facility button. If you activate the brand new Siri, you’ll get a rainbow-style lighting impact across the fringe of your complete show, as an alternative of Siri taking up your complete show because it did within the earlier era.
Each are easy to activate and use, so this one’s a tie. I do suppose that Gemini is easier to make use of and activate, particularly as there are a number of methods to activate it, however conversely, the activation technique can change between totally different Android telephones.
Gemini vs Apple Intelligence: how they’re related
Each platforms give attention to utilizing AI for 3 particular functions: generative options — similar to creating and enhancing photos or textual content — in addition to productiveness options and a voice assistant. The previous is the important thing focus for many AI makers however I’ve typically discovered that generative AI options may be considerably of a gimmick. Sure, they’ll create nice memes, however they seemingly gained’t change your life.
Each platforms let you edit photos you’ve already captured to take away undesirable objects. Google has had this constructed into Magic Editor in Google Images for a number of years, whereas iOS 18 natively brings this characteristic to the iPhone for the primary time within the redesigned Apple Images app.
Take this picture a pal took of me the morning after an intense evening out. I requested each telephones to take away the menu on the desk and the outcomes are pretty attention-grabbing.
- 1.
Unique - 2.
Apple Intelligence - 3.
Google Gemini
First, it’s instantly apparent that Apple Intelligence isn’t nearly as good as Gemini, as you may see the wooden grain within the tabletop is angled in the identical path because the menu. That apart, Apple Intelligence does an important job at filling within the grains and guaranteeing that there’s continuity within the earlier than and after of the identical photograph.
What about Google Gemini? Right here’s the place Google’s longer historical past comes into impact: it’s higher by a substantial quantity. First, it generates 4 totally different photos so that you can select from. Second, it has extra precision in permitting you to refine your choice earlier than making an edit. Nevertheless, on the similar time, it takes extra faucets to get to the Magic Editor, and except they’ve used Google Images up to now, a median particular person will most likely discover Apple Images extra intuitive.
Key variations between Gemini and Apple Intelligence
Google’s focus with Gemini is totally on generative options, in addition to making it a substitute for Google Assistant. It achieves the previous extraordinarily effectively, while it nonetheless wants some work as a real substitute for Google Assistant, particularly when you want it for sensible dwelling controls.
Gemini comes with a spread of options that I take pleasure in utilizing, particularly Circle to Search, which debuted final yr on the Galaxy S24 sequence and makes it easy to go looking associated to one thing in your show. Wish to know the place to purchase sneakers that you simply simply noticed on Instagram? Circle to go looking can look that up in seconds.
In the meantime, Apple Intelligence takes a distinct method. It options lots of the similar generative options — aside from a real Circle to Search substitute — however additionally it is made to be your assistant. Whichever app you’re utilizing, Apple Intelligence can edit, rewrite, or summarize textual content for you, which makes it significantly poignant while you use quite a lot of apps.
There’s additionally one different key distinction between them: the fashions that they use.
Beneath: Gemini Superior vs ChatGPT
If you happen to used Siri earlier than the rollout of Apple Intelligence, you’ll know that it was inferior to Google Assistant; it wasn’t even shut. With that in thoughts, it nearly at all times felt inevitable that Apple would flip to a different supplier for the underlying fashions that energy Apple Intelligence.
Google already pays Apple to be the default search engine on the iPhone — one thing to the tune of virtually $20 billion per yr — so it’s considerably shocking that Apple turned to ChatGPT to supply the underlying fashions for Apple Intelligence.
This integration goes a lot additional, and the place the brand new Siri is unable to assist, Apple has built-in ChatGPT because the default backup. This implies there are some duplicate options — you may generate photos utilizing Picture Playground or ChatGPT and the identical applies to a few of the Writing Instruments — however it additionally means you have got an unlimited array of data and information to work from. In case you have a ChatGPT free or paid account, you may entry much more options immediately inside Apple Intelligence.
Comparatively, Google opts for a self-contained method. The underlying mannequin behind Gemini is Gemini Superior, with Gemini 1.5 Professional specifically the present non-beta mannequin. If you happen to entry Gemini through the online, you may as well choose the next-generation Gemini 2.0 mannequin.
One of many key variations between these two fashions is that Gemini 1.5 has a bigger context window, whereas ChatGPT tends to be higher at producing human-like textual content. Each apps let you construct customized chatbots, however ChatGPT additionally affords extra superior options, and Plus or Enterprise customers can create limitless chatbots.
One considerably irritating factor about Apple Intelligence is that it doesn’t use the newest GPT-4 mannequin, which is much extra superior and succesful. It’s unclear whether or not Apple will roll this out at a later date, or it’ll be constructed into the subsequent model of Apple Intelligence, however that is one thing I’d wish to see Apple combine into Apple Intelligence. GPT-4 has a a lot more energizing set of information to work with, which poses a problem for the information base that Apple Intelligence is working with.
For instance, I requested Apple Intelligence and Gemini who gained the U.S. elections, and it generated a solution associated to the 2020 election. After clarifying I meant the 2024 election, it gave me Google Search outcomes. On this case, it was truly higher than Gemini — which gained’t talk about elections — however that is an edge case and Gemini is commonly extra correct at recalling info than Apple Intelligence.
Yet another factor: the place Apple Intelligence will get it so proper
For all the things that Gemini is nice for, there’s one characteristic that Apple Intelligence will get proper. In deciding the right way to make a helpful AI, Apple targeted on its capacity to have an effect on and enhance your private life, and Apple Intelligence is much better than Gemini at this.
I’ve already written that Notification Summaries are my favourite use of AI proper now, however Apple Intelligence extends past that. Having the ability to name up Writing Instruments — to compose, refine, or edit textual content — in any app is much better than Gemini which acts like an overlay to that app. Equally, you’ll quickly be capable to recall info from any app, which ought to make the brand new Siri a much better private assistant.
Which do I want: Gemini or Apple Intelligence?
I’ve been utilizing each platforms for months and answering this query is more durable than I first anticipated. On the one hand, Google Gemini is a much better generative AI resolution and has entry to a wider information base than Apple Intelligence. However, Apple Intelligence is a significantly better private assistant and has higher integration with Apple units.
Then there’s the long-term potential for every of those platforms. Google Gemini is the default AI supplier underpinning the AI suite on most Android units, whereas Apple Intelligence is targeted solely on Apple units however advantages from enhancements made by ChatGPT (at the very least as soon as it’s working the newest fashions).
All issues thought of, I’ve discovered that whereas Gemini is much extra superior than Apple Intelligence, it’s the latter’s give attention to private options that ensures I exploit it extra typically. After I wish to seek for one thing or edit a photograph, I flip to Gemini, however for day by day use, I discover Apple Intelligence — and specifically the Notification Summaries — to be way more helpful for day by day life. That mentioned, Gemini is undoubtedly the higher AI platform, at the very least for now.
