How to use Apple Intelligence ‘Summaries’ and which apps support it

Apple Intelligence summaries: A new AI-powered feature across multiple apps: Apple is introducing an AI-powered summary feature called Apple Intelligence, which will be available across multiple apps on Apple devices, offering users quick overviews of various types of content.

Key features and functionality: Apple Intelligence summaries will be accessible in Safari, Notes, Mail, Messages, and some third-party apps, providing concise overviews of web pages, notes, emails, messages, and other text-based content.

• In Safari, summaries are accessed through Safari Reader, producing 2-3 sentence overviews of articles, sometimes including a table of contents.
• The Notes app allows users to summarize selected text or audio recordings via the Writing Tools menu or Summarize button, respectively.
• Mail provides automatic 2-line summaries of emails in the inbox, with the option to summarize full email conversations using the Summarize button.
• Messages can automatically condense multiple messages into a single notification, though this feature can be disabled in Settings.

Availability and device support: The summary feature’s availability varies across different Apple devices and apps.

• Some devices may have access to Safari summaries without full Apple Intelligence support.
• The feature is also expected to work in certain third-party apps, such as news applications.

User experience and practical applications: Apple Intelligence summaries aim to save time by providing quick overviews of lengthy content.

• The feature is particularly useful for scanning long articles, emails, and notes.
• Accuracy and usefulness may vary depending on the app, with Message summaries reportedly requiring further refinement.

Accessing and using the feature: How to access and utilize the summary features in each supported app.

• Users can typically find the summary option in app-specific menus or through dedicated buttons.
• In some cases, like with email inbox summaries, the feature works automatically.

Potential impact on information consumption: Apple Intelligence summaries could significantly alter how users interact with and process information on their devices.

• The feature may encourage users to engage with a wider range of content by providing quick overviews.
• However, there’s a potential risk of users relying too heavily on summaries and missing important details or nuances in full-length content.

Privacy and data considerations: The introduction of AI-powered summarization does raise questions about data usage and privacy.

• Users may want to consider how their content is processed and whether summaries are generated locally on devices or require cloud processing.

Future developments and improvements: As with many AI-powered features, Apple Intelligence summaries are likely to evolve and improve over time.

• User feedback and real-world usage data will likely inform future updates and refinements to the summarization algorithms.
• The feature’s expansion into additional apps and more sophisticated summarization capabilities can be anticipated in future iOS updates.

Balancing convenience and depth: While Apple Intelligence summaries offer clear benefits in terms of time-saving and information processing, users should be mindful of striking a balance between convenience and in-depth understanding of content.

• The feature is best used as a complement to, rather than a replacement for, reading full articles or messages when deeper comprehension is necessary.
• Users may need to develop new habits and strategies for effectively integrating AI-powered summaries into their daily information consumption routines.