One of the many features coming along with the much-anticipated iOS 18 is finally here. Apple is rolling out Genmoji, which lets you generate emoji-like reactions with the help of generative AI… or how Apple prefers to call it “Apple Intelligence”.
At the Worldwide Developers Conference 2024, Apple gave a glimpse of how users could make their own emojis by typing simple descriptions such as “t-rex wearing a tutu on a surfboard” or “smiley relaxing wearing cucumbers.” Then, it quickly creates the emoji, like a yellow smiley face with cucumber slices on its eyes. Needless to say, it’s quite impressive.
Notably, a few weeks ago Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman had hinted about the potential development. “The company is developing software that can create custom emojis on the fly, based on what users are texting,” mentioned his Power On newsletter.
According to Apple, Genmoji works within numerous apps, and simultaneously, it boasts its dedicated app with the same name. It could make your “everyday conversations more enjoyable,” says Apple, and I second that. Apple Intelligence will know who you’re chatting with, so if you want to make the conversation more personal with a custom AI image, you can create one instantly.
However, there’s a catch to Apple’s Genmoji. It’s different from the regular emojis we are used to. While regular emojis play by the universal Unicode rulebook, Apple’s Genmoji is built differently. These are fashioned as images rather than plain Unicode characters. Although users might not bat an eye, it’s one of the technical tidbits you’ll want to know.