The 2026 revamp of Apple Intelligence and Siri is imminent, and Playlist Playground in iOS 26.4 shows Apple will continue to treat AI as a background tool, not a flagship feature.
Apple Intelligence is meant to be a background feature
Apple Intelligence is meant to be a background feature
If you’ve been paying attention, Apple’s strategy with artificial intelligence has always been about keeping it in the background. It augments human users rather than replacing them or stealing from them.
System-wide access to controls via app intents and the more personalized Siri won’t or will be groundbreaking, depending on any given user’s workflow. Apple isn’t treating AI as some kind of world-altering paradigm that needs to overtake every part of the product.