Meta Disables Apple Intelligence in Facebook, WhatsApp, and Threads on iOS

Meta Blocks Apple Intelligence on Facebook and Other iOS Apps

Background

Apple introduced a suite of AI features called Apple Intelligence with the release of iOS 18 in October. These features, such as Writing Tools and Genmoji, are designed to enhance text creation, editing, and emoji generation within apps. By default, most apps support these Apple Intelligence features.

Meta's Decision

However, Meta has decided not to include Apple Intelligence in its iOS apps, including Facebook, WhatsApp, and Threads. This means that users of these apps cannot access Writing Tools or create and share Genmoji. Additionally, the ability to add keyboard stickers and Memoji to Instagram Stories, which was previously available, has been removed.

Possible Reasons

While Meta hasn't provided official reasons for this decision, it is speculated that the company wants to promote its own AI tools, such as those offered by Meta AI, which are already integrated into their apps. These tools allow users to create and edit text and generate images, similar to what Apple Intelligence offers.

Historical Context

Previously, Apple and Meta had discussions about a potential partnership to integrate Meta's Llama language model into Apple Intelligence. However, Apple reportedly terminated the deal due to privacy concerns with Meta’s policies. The two companies also have ongoing conflicts over App Store guidelines.

Impact on Users

As a result of this decision, iOS users cannot benefit from Apple Intelligence in some of the most popular apps. It remains to be seen whether Meta will reconsider its approach in the future.