Impromptu Apple chatbot in Shortcuts
Apple executives have mentioned in interviews that the corporate is not constructing a public chatbot. You may truly create one with a brand new motion in iOS 26. Here is how.
There is a new motion that provides you direct entry to Apple Intelligence, and it responds to prompts identical to ChatGPT or Claude. That wasn’t a headline function at WWDC 2025.
In truth, Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice chairman of Software program Engineering, and Greg Joswiak, senior vice chairman of Worldwide Advertising, have mentioned Apple is not attempting to construct a chatbot.
However with Shortcuts, you’ll be able to make Apple Intelligence act like a chatbot. In case you’re operating the iOS 26 developer beta, you’ll be able to strive it your self. It solely takes a number of faucets.
Find out how to use Apple Intelligence in Shortcuts
To get began, open the Shortcuts app and create a brand new shortcut.
- Faucet the plus button so as to add an motion.
- Seek for the motion referred to as Use Mannequin.
- Underneath Mannequin, choose both On This iPhone, Personal Cloud Compute, or ChatGPT when you have that put in.
- Enter your immediate.
One immediate the cloud mannequin refused
That is it. Once you run the shortcut, it’s going to generate a response based mostly in your immediate. You may present that output as a notification, put it aside to Notes, or use it in one other step of the shortcut.
On-device versus cloud mannequin
Apple offers you with a alternative between two variations of the mannequin. The primary choice is the on-device mannequin, which runs fully in your iPhone. This model is quicker and extra personal, however it’s restricted by way of how complicated or artistic it may be.
The second choice is the Personal Cloud Compute mannequin, which runs in Apple’s information facilities utilizing extra superior fashions. This model can deal with longer and extra nuanced prompts, however it requires a community connection.
A immediate for the on-device mannequin
In case you try one thing that the on-device mannequin can not deal with, the shortcut will notify you and provide to modify to the cloud mannequin.
It is principally a chatbot…
It isn’t a full chatbot. There is no reminiscence between prompts, no chat historical past, and no identify or character. But it surely solutions clearly and naturally if you give it a immediate.
In testing, it carried out decently with artistic writing, summaries, brainstorming concepts, and even simplifying textual content. I would say the cloud mannequin performs across the degree of GPT-3.5.
It additionally has primary safeguards. When requested to write down a pretend physician’s notice, even framed as a part of a fictional story, it refused. That is good.
But it surely made factual errors in different instances. When requested to checklist Aristotle’s misplaced and rediscovered works, it made up names and added made-up particulars about Renaissance students discovering them.
Your entire response was fiction and delivered with confidence. Or, because the AI corporations say, hallucination.
Apple says it isn’t a chatbot
Craig Federighi and Greg Joswiak mentioned throughout WWDC interviews that Apple is not attempting to make a chatbot. Apple’s focus is on constructing useful options, not chat companions.
However the conduct of the Shortcuts motion tells a special story. It will not be a chatbot by identify, however you’ll be able to nonetheless chat with it. And it responds like one, particularly if you give it open-ended prompts.
The shortcut is essentially the most direct technique to take a look at Apple’s language mannequin proper now. You need not undergo Siri or wait for brand new system updates. You simply write a immediate, run the shortcut, and see how the mannequin responds.
It is also one of many solely locations the place you are in full management. You may ship any immediate you need, select which mannequin runs it, and determine what to do with the response.
Even when Apple does not name it a chatbot, it is shut sufficient for now.
