Apple Intelligence now requires 7GB of free space to run

With the introduction of Apple Intelligence, which is based on artificial intelligence, iPhones, iPads and Macs have gained unique features. However, the new features require significantly more space on the devices, which is becoming an important factor for users.

Expanding storage requirements

Originally, when Apple Intelligence launched in iOS 18.1, the AI features only required 4GB of free space. Most users were easily accommodated, as Apple emphasized privacy by placing AI models right on the device, rather than in the cloud.

Apple Intelligence’s new storage requirements have increased.

But with the release of iOS 18.2, the requirements grew to 7GB. This has become a challenge for users, especially those who own multiple Apple devices. If you want to use Apple Intelligence on an iPhone, iPad, and Mac at the same time, you’ll need 21GB of total free space. And you can’t turn off individual AI features to reduce storage usage.

And you can’t turn off individual AI features to reduce storage usage.

New iOS 18.2 features

The iOS 18.2 release brings advanced features that justify the increased memory requirements:

• Genmoji: Create personalized emoji using AI.
• ChatGPT Integration with Siri: Improved voice commands.
• Image Playground: Generate and edit images.
• Visual Intelligence: Improved image recognition accuracy.
• Compose with ChatGPT: Textual content generation.

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These features make Apple’s AI more powerful and accessible, but they also require more and more space to operate.

The Future of Apple Intelligence

Although no new AI features are expected in iOS 18.3, the upcoming iOS 18.4 promises significant improvements to Siri. Experts speculate that storage requirements could grow to as much as 10GB per device, especially as iOS 19 approaches.

Here’s what’s coming.

How to prepare for increased requirements

This trend emphasizes the importance of choosing devices with more storage. The evolution of Apple Intelligence makes local storage a key element in making new features work seamlessly. If you’re running out of space, now might be a good time to consider upgrading your device or increasing its memory.