Apple’s chosen direction for all things incoming, and an AI regulation blueprint
Apple wants to leverage its developer base to deliver AI powered functionality for users using the on-device models.
I am not basing my take on announcements made by Apple at WWDC 2025 and indeed what it means for Apple’s long-term AI stakes, on vibes (or something similar that the cool kids would cling to); but on simple facts. A lot was announced, encompassing all their software platforms, individual apps, taking forward the AI conversation and of course, tools for developers. Here’s what you should know, in a crisp format.
For those who are saying Apple is far behind the race that involves other AI companies including Google, OpenAI, Anthropic, Perplexity and others, you may have a point. That may be a reason why they don’t want to be seen trying to compete in like-for-like situations. Trying to morph Siri into what Gemini is on Android, would have raised those exact questions. Instead, it has been a very smart AI pivot, one that in my opinion, focuses on specific use cases and therefore apps individually.
Decoding what Apple’s announcements mean for you…
- Second part of that AI jigsaw sees Apple focus on individual apps for adding Apple Intelligence based functionality. Live Translation is an example, which uses on-device models across apps such as Messages, FaceTime or Phone, to translate text messages or translated as you speak on a phone call. This will be available on iPhone, iPad and Mac too, now that the computing devices too have a Phone app.
- Apple wants to leverage its developer base to deliver AI powered functionality for users using the on-device models. Those too have updated versions now available for devs, and for all Apple Intelligence tasks, come iOS 26 later this year.
- This has to be tackled, bluntly. Liquid Glass is not Windows Vista, and never will be. Just because some youth saw mention of glass, probably used ChatGPT and found Microsoft had also tried transparency with Windows Vista all those years ago, doesn’t mean we must draw parallels. Vista was an abomination and an absolute failure of a computing platform. With no parallels of failure.
- In my conversations with people in the know, it is clear the Liquid Glass as you see in the demo films and indeed the current developer beta that’s available, is very much work in progress. A lot will change, will be tweaked, and will be optimised in the beta editions ahead. It is unlikely the Control Center will have such translucency, when iOS 26 finally arrives sometime in September (I’m expecting usually timelines to be followed).
PRODUCTIVITY AND DEVICES
Many of us have always craved for a touchscreen MacBook Pro or MacBook Air. That dream was never realised (and perhaps it’ll never happen), but now an iPad Pro with a Magic Keyboard can very well be that touchscreen Mac. On the agenda for the iPadOS 26 update that rolls out later this year, is a new approach to multi-tasking, that is handling multiple apps and windows within the display real estate.
{{/usCountry}}Many of us have always craved for a touchscreen MacBook Pro or MacBook Air. That dream was never realised (and perhaps it’ll never happen), but now an iPad Pro with a Magic Keyboard can very well be that touchscreen Mac. On the agenda for the iPadOS 26 update that rolls out later this year, is a new approach to multi-tasking, that is handling multiple apps and windows within the display real estate.
{{/usCountry}}That aspect gets further boosted by the introduction of an updated Files app, preview for managing PDF files and platform parity with Apple Intelligence introductions such as Live Translations. Or as Apple calls it, a “biggest iPadOS release ever”. Even the gestures to switch between the app windows, the flick gesture, is very reminiscent of how things work on a Mac. As is the Files app, quite inspired by macOS’ Finder.
For Apple-based Macs, macOS 26 Tahoe marks the end of software updates. This well and truly closes the chapter of the Intel era of Macs, as far as Apple is concerned. That said, Intel-based Macs, supported in macOS Tahoe, will continue to receive security updates for 3 years. Just no new features or updates. For now, those still holding on to an Intel-chip powered Mac, will get the new design, Spotlight updates, Continuity features, and more with this Tahoe update later this year.
REGULATING AI
We keep hearing time and again that AI regulation is all but inevitable. It may very well be. But there hasn’t been much progress on that front. Except mere words. Odds are that an actual regulation may be round the corner, and even beyond that, some countries seem to be exhibiting greater intent at understanding how AI can find a place in their society. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is one of those rare countries, where there is actual work towards understanding how AI fits into personal and professional spaces, hopefully without detriment. There are reasons why I feel more countries need to take note of the UAE’s blueprint. The UAE’s direction, led by widely considered to be the world's first AI Minister Omar Al Olama (appointed 2017), takes a balanced approach to AI regulation that prioritises innovation alongside responsibility, rather than implementing restrictive early-stage regulations.
- UAE's framework includes: becoming a global AI leader by 2031, positioning AI as economic "lifeblood," envisioning PhD-level digital assistants for citizens (with agentic AI coming in, that’s important), seeking international partnerships, and helping establish global AI safety rules.
- The country recently launched Falcon Arabic, a locally-relevant AI model trained on Arabic dialects. For the population, relevant is also the country partnering with OpenAI on the Stargate UAE supercomputing project and providing free ChatGPT Plus subscriptions to residents.
- There is a concerted effort to leverage its abundant low-cost energy resources to attract major tech companies (Oracle, Nvidia, Cisco, SoftBank, to name a few) for AI data centres, while American firms benefit from UAE's energy infrastructure for their advanced semiconductor operations.
- Unlike the EU's complex AI Act or the US's fragmented approach, UAE's smaller size, political structure, and economic positioning allow for more agile policy implementation—though this model may be difficult for larger countries to replicate due to consensus and scale challenges.
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