Meta swipes left on Apple Intelligence; blocks AI features on Facebook, WhatsApp

Apple Intelligence, introduced late last year, has generated significant buzz in the tech world. Although many of its features only recently became available to a wider audience, iOS users may suddenly find these capabilities absent from Meta-owned apps.

While most apps automatically support Apple Intelligence features, developers today have the option to disable this integration — a path Meta has reportedly chosen. Here’s what this decision means for you as a user.

Meta blocks Apple Intelligence across Facebook, WhatsApp

Brazilian blog Sorcererhat Tech recently reported how smart writing tools that could typically help users generate, write or create text with Apple Intelligence will no longer be available on any of Meta’s apps. This will include Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and even Threads.

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Usually, iPhone or iOS users can access these writing tools by tapping on a text box. That said, this option is missing across Meta’s iOS smartphone apps. Apart from this, Meta has also prevented users from creating and sharing Genmojis (Apple’s AI-based emojis). The report additionally states that the company has removed the earlier-available functionality which lets a user add keyboard stickers or Genmojis to an Instagram story.

What does this mean for iPhone users?

Unsurprisingly, Meta does not reveal any details or hasn’t come back with a statement to confirm or deny this digital anomaly. However, it might just be a move to push Meta app users to use its native AI chatbot — Meta AI — over Apple Intelligence.

As of today, Meta AI is available across most of Meta’s services. It allows users to create or change text, and even generate images if required. While a report last year did speak about Apple and Meta’s potential partnership regarding bringing Llama — Meta’s AI model — to Apple Intelligence, it seems as though it fell through because of privacy conflicts.

If that’s not all, there have also been previous instances of Meta and Apple disagreeing over App Store guidelines. Unfortunately for iOS users, this would mean having to surrender their Apple Intelligence privileges on social media. What do you feel about this change? Let us know in the comments below.