Native ChatGPT support on iOS 18.2 can do more than just answer questions

Robert Triggs / Android Authority

When Apple revealed iOS 18 in June, it announced that a future software update would bake OpenAI’s chatbot into the system. Well, the wait is finally over — for beta testers, at least. iOS 18.2 developer beta 1 is now available to those with iPhone 16 and 15 Pro models, and it offers ChatGPT as part of Apple Intelligence.

After updating to iOS 18.2 beta 1 on a compatible iPhone, you should find a new ChatGPT menu in the Apple Intelligence settings. There, you can enable the integration, which offers OpenAI’s smarts across various parts of the operating system. A similar option is available on the first betas of iPadOS 18.2 and macOS Sequoia 15.2, too.

If you want to maintain a copy of the queries ChatGPT handles through iOS, you could sign in with your existing OpenAI account. The chat history will then populate in the official ChatGPT app and website. You could also sign in if you’re subscribed to the premium ChatGPT plan and want iOS to opt for the best model available. This is all optional, though, and you can utilize the integration without an account if you don’t want OpenAI to profile you.

Beyond answering questions when Siri struggles, ChatGPT is now baked into Writing Tools, which lets you rely on the chatbot to compose text from scratch. You could also select existing text and describe the changes you want it to apply. That’s not to mention that ChatGPT powers some Visual Intelligence features, allowing it to describe photos and identify products or items in the frame.

The ChatGPT integration will debut in December as part of iOS 18.2. If you’d rather not wait until then, you could install the first developer beta on a supported iPhone. However, we advise you not to flash the update on your primary device, as it could pack some severe bugs or even brick it.

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