Forget DALL-E: Apple’s new AI image generator runs on the device and works like magic
Apple users who want to spice up their text messages, notes, and other items with fun, custom images will be able to do so through a new feature called Image Playground. Launching Monday at Apple’s 2024 Worldwide Developers Conference, Image Playground will be available as one of many playgrounds Apple is smart tools built into iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and MacOS Sequoia.
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With Image Playground, you’ll be able to design your own images by choosing from three different styles: Cartoon, Illustration, and Sketch. You’ll also be given a number of different ways to define and refine your images. You can choose a specific category, such as theme, outfit, accessory, or location. You can type the description of the image you want. You can even take a person from your photo library to include in your image.
Image Playground will be accessible in several apps, including Messages, Notes, Keynote, Freeform, and Pages, as well as third-party apps that leverage the Image Playground API. Additionally, it has its own dedicated app where you can experiment with different images to use and share.
In Messages, you’ll be able to see suggested image ideas related to your conversation and create suitable images to share with others. As an example given by Apple, maybe you’re participating in a group chat discussing a hiking adventure. Image Playground will present potential images related to your friends, destinations, and activities.
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In Notes, you can use Image Playground through the new Image Wand in the Apple Pencil tool palette. Here, you will be able to turn a rough sketch into a finished image. You can even take advantage of the space in your notes to create images based on text and other content from the surrounding area.
With Image Playground arriving in iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and MacOS Sequoia, you’ll be able to test it in beta mode in US English next fall. However, you will need the right type of equipment to handle the AI processing. That means iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max or iPad and Mac with M1 chip or higher.