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Apple’s Shortcuts App Set for AI-Powered Overhaul to Simplify Automation

Prime Highlights:

  • Apple is working on an AI-powered version of its Shortcuts app that allows users to make automations with natural language.
  • The new Shortcuts app, under the Apple Intelligence program, is likely to be pushed to 2026.

Key Facts:

  • The integration of AI is seeking to make automation easier by letting users define tasks in everyday language.
  • This is inline with trends in the industry, like Microsoft’s Copilot+ computers that utilize AI for system-level operations.
  • The update may not be featured at WWDC 2025 due to potential delays.

Key Background:

Apple’s Shortcuts app, initially released as Workflow, has been a means for users to create automations between iOS and macOS. Though powerful, its complexity has prevented its adoption by the masses. Knowing this, Apple has a major revamp in the works for Shortcuts, with it bringing AI capabilities through its Apple Intelligence initiative. This will enable users to make automations simply by explaining the actions they want to take in natural speech, reducing the barrier for those not as comfortable with the current interface of the app.

For instance, a user might say, “Start a video call, turn on Do Not Disturb, open Notes, and record key points of discussion.” The AI-driven Shortcuts app would be able to decipher this command and create the relevant automation. This method reflects trends in the wider technology sector as a whole, where firms such as Microsoft have unveiled AI agents with the ability to automate sophisticated actions based on user instructions.

But the introduction of this AI-powered Shortcuts app might come in delayed. First scheduled for 2025, news indicates the launch will be delayed until 2026. Consequently, it is not clear if this feature will be debuted at the next WWDC 2025. Regardless of the delay possibility, bringing AI into Shortcuts is a big leap towards easier and more accessible automation for Apple users.

This move also questions Apple’s willingness to accept more extensive AI integration standards, like Anthropic’s MCP, that support easy interaction between AI assistants and third-party tools. Apple’s position on embracing such standards is not yet certain, but adopting them might further boost the functionality of the Shortcuts app and grant users more flexible automation options.