Apple is raising the hardware requirements for its most advanced AI features. While Apple Intelligence will continue to work on several existing devices, the company’s most powerful on-device AI model will only be available on select new products.
The new AI model arrives as part of Apple’s next-generation Apple Intelligence platform and is designed to handle more complex tasks directly on the device. Unlike cloud-based AI systems, on-device models process information locally, offering better privacy and faster responses.
However, there is a catch. The model requires at least 12GB of unified memory, making it unavailable on many current Apple devices.
According to Apple, the most advanced on-device AI model will be supported on the following devices:
- iPhone Air
- iPhone 17 Pro
- iPhone 17 Pro Max
- iPads powered by the M4 chip or newer with at least 12GB of unified memory
- Macs powered by the M3 chip or newer with at least 12GB of unified memory
- Apple Vision Pro with the M5 chip
One notable exclusion is the standard iPhone 17. The device reportedly comes with 8GB of memory, which falls below the new requirement. When Apple Intelligence was introduced, 8GB of memory was enough to access all supported AI features. The new model changes that and creates a clear difference between standard and premium devices.
