Apple on Monday released iOS 18.1, an update that includes the company’s artificial intelligence called Apple Intelligence, for the iPhone 16 and iPhone 15 Pro. It also released software updates for iPad and Mac with Apple Intelligence.

The release marks a crucial milestone for Apple, which is banking on the launch of the features to boost its marketing campaign for the iPhone 16 series released last month.

It’s also Apple’s answer to Wall Street’s questions about its AI strategy. Apple has taken a different path with its device-based AI than its mega-cap rivals, which are focused on cloud-based AI systems powered by billions of dollars in Nvidia chips.

Apple Intelligence is limited to start. The first wave of Apple Intelligence features includes writing tools that can proofread or rewrite text, new features that can remove objects from photos, and a feature that can summarize a stack of notifications into a single message.

Monday’s release includes improvements to Siri, including a new look that makes the entire screen around the edges of the phone glow. Siri can answer questions about Apple products, including troubleshooting, and has a more natural voice.

However, the update does not let Siri take actions within apps, which is expected in a new update next year. Additionally, another update with ChatGPT integration and image generation capabilities is planned as part of iOS 18.2 later this year.

Some investors believe Apple Intelligence could drive a major upgrade cycle and cement Apple as a leader in the everyday use of advanced AI.

“Given the staggered launch of Apple Intelligence, we expect iPhone demand to pick up following the initial release of Apple Intelligence in late October,” Bank of America Securities analyst Wamsi Mohan wrote in an Oct. 25 note.

You need an iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, or another iPhone 16 model to install and use Apple Intelligence. The service mainly uses the iPhone’s chip and therefore won’t work on previous phones, although some more complicated queries will be handled by Apple’s servers.

You also need to enable it by requesting access to Apple Intelligence in the Settings app. Doing so will place users on a waitlist. Apple hasn’t said how long the wait will be, but during beta testing over the summer, users were typically given access within the same day. Your phone then downloads large files (Apple’s AI models) that Apple Intelligence needs to work.

Apple Intelligence’s most notable feature is the ability to summarize notifications. Instead of the typical stack of notifications on previous iPhone interfaces, Apple will condense an entire stack into one notification. It hasn’t been perfect, but turning twelve market alerts from CNBC or a long conversation in a group chat into something easily digestible can be helpful.

Another big change that users will quickly notice is that Siri has a new text interface, accessible by swiping up from the bottom of the screen, allowing users to query Siri without speaking out loud.

Apple’s writing tools also appear anywhere in the operating system where you can enter text, including non-Apple apps. Users can highlight sections of text and choose to rewrite them in a more ‘friendly’, ‘professional’ or ‘concise’ style. However, Apple’s writing tools won’t generate full paragraphs without input.

The software package also includes updates for Apple’s Mail and Photos apps. The Photos app now has a more intelligent search function that can understand natural language. It can also generate a short movie from a user’s photos.

To download iOS 18.1, go to Settings > General > Software update. To sign up for the Apple Intelligence waitlist, go to Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri > Join the Apple Waitlist.