Introduction

What if your iOS app could write stories, summarize long documents, pull out key details, or even translate languages without ever touching the cloud? With iOS 26 and Apple’s new Foundation Models, that’s no longer science fiction. In this guide, I’ll show you how to tap into Apple Intelligence to build smarter, privacy-first apps that run entirely with on-device AI. Along the way, we’ll put together a demo app that highlights multiple Apple AI features, from text generation to content classification, so you can see exactly how these capabilities come to life on iOS.

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Why On-Device AI Matters?

For years, mobile apps have leaned on cloud-based AI. It is powerful, but it also comes with tradeoffs. Every time data leaves a device, users relinquish a portion of their privacy. Apps break down when the network is weak. Responses feel slower because they are waiting for a round-trip to a server. And for developers, those API calls can quickly add up in cost.

With iOS 26, Apple is flipping that model on its head. Thanks to the Foundation Models framework, advanced Apple artificial intelligence now runs entirely on the device. That means faster responses, apps that work offline, and most importantly, AI experiences that respect user privacy and put control back in their hands.

The combination of Apple machine learning and on-device AI creates a foundation for smarter and more secure mobile experiences. Developers can now harness foundation models AI to deliver intelligent, real-time results without relying on cloud infrastructure.

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What We'll Build

Throughout this guide, we'll create a comprehensive Apple Intelligence app that demonstrates:

Text Generation: Creative writing and content creation
Summarization: Condensing long texts into concise summaries
Task Suggestions: AI-powered productivity recommendations
Entity Extraction: Identifying people, places, organizations, and events
Content Classification: Analyzing sentiment, topics, and categories
Creative Content: Stories, poems, and dialogues
Translation: Multi-language text conversion

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The Technical Foundation

Our app leverages several key iOS 26 technologies:

Foundation Models Framework: Apple’s on-device AI engine
@Generable Protocol: Structured output generation for reliable AI responses
SwiftUI: Modern, declarative UI framework
LanguageModelSession: Real-time AI interaction management

Apple's AI framework and Apple Intelligence tools provide a powerful foundation for developing intelligent, machine-learning-driven apps on iOS 26. Explore more about Apple Intelligence and its capabilities.