iOS 18 poised to use AI to generate emojis based on your text

iOS 18 is reported to be getting loads of AI features, and the highlight could be its ability to generate an emoji based on what you’re texting, even if that emoji isn’t in the catalog.

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported in his Power On newsletter that AI-generated emojis will be among the new features that Apple will show off at WWDC next month.

“One standout feature will bring generative AI to emojis. The company is developing software that can create custom emojis on the fly, based on what users are texting. That means you’ll suddenly have an all-new emoji for any occasion, beyond the catalog of options that Apple currently offers on the iPhone and other devices,” wrote Gurman.

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iPhones already have a huge collection of emojis and Apple adds to it with every new iOS release, typically adding seven new emojis each time. This was the case in the iOS 17.4 update, and reports suggest iOS 18 will also introduce 7 new emojis – including a harp, fingerprint, and spade.

Gurman suggested that Apple will use AI in iOS 18 to create custom emojis beyond its current catalog. On Android phones, Gboard already lets you mix two emojis to make a new one with features of both. However, you can’t generate these emojis based on texts — something Apple plans to do with iOS 18.

Gurman also reported that iPhone users will have more customization options for their apps and home screens. For instance, you might be able to change the color of app icons and arrange things more freely, rather than being locked into the grid layout.

iOS 18 will be officially unveiled in a couple of weeks at Apple’s annual WWDC developer conference, held this year on June 10. Apple is reported to make AI the major highlight of the software, including features like generative AI-powered Siri, Xcode, and more. The company might also team up with OpenAI to introduce some of these features.