Apple's Best On-Device AI Needs 12GB RAM and Newer Hardware
Apple's most powerful local AI model requires iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone Air, M4 iPads, or M3+ Macs — all with 12GB+ RAM.
Apple just drew a hard line in the silicon sand. The company's most powerful on-device AI model won't run on your older gear. You'll need an iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone Air, an iPad with M4 or later, or a Mac packing M3 or newer. The common thread? At least 12GB of RAM across the board.
The announcement dropped at WWDC alongside the next generation of Apple Intelligence and a revamped Siri AI. Apple is clearly betting big on local processing for its AI features rather than shipping everything to the cloud.
The 12GB RAM floor is the real story here. It effectively cuts off a huge chunk of the existing Apple install base from the company's most capable AI tools. If you want the full experience, it's upgrade time.