Apple’s upcoming WWDC 2025 keynote is expected to be light on artificial intelligence news. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports that insiders see the event as underwhelming on the AI front. This comes after a tough year for Apple Intelligence, which debuted at WWDC 2024 in response to platforms like ChatGPT and Google Gemini. With Google I/O recently unveiling major AI advancements, Apple now risks looking like it is falling further behind.
Gurman says WWDC 2025 will be smaller than the 2023 and 2024 events, with no major hardware announcements. This is a sharp shift from WWDC 2023, when Apple introduced the Vision Pro, and 2024, when it rolled out Apple Intelligence. Without new devices or major software breakthroughs, Apple’s strategy raises concerns. Competitors continue pushing hard on innovation, while Apple seems cautious.
The few AI improvements expected include opening Apple’s Foundation Models to third-party developers. This would let developers use on-device features like image generation and text summarization. These local models, running at about 3 billion parameters, are much smaller than cloud-based ones used by rivals. Other expected updates are a smarter iPhone power management mode and a Translate app upgrade using AirPods and Siri. These are helpful but small changes.
Software redesigns will likely steal the spotlight. Gurman says iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26, tvOS 26, and watchOS 26 will get a fresh look inspired by visionOS. Users can expect more translucent menus, buttons, and icons. While this design shift is appealing, it may leave some wondering if Apple is focusing too much on aesthetics rather than progress in key areas like AI.
Apple is reportedly planning a bigger AI push for 2026. Projects in development include a conversational Siri, a revamped Shortcuts app powered by Apple Intelligence, and more generative AI tools. For now, though, WWDC 2025 is shaping up to be a quiet event that may disappoint fans hoping for major leaps forward.
(via Bloomberg)
