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Apple Intelligence Part 2: New Features, New MDM Controls for Your Business

Apple is making big moves in AI again, introducing a fresh wave of Apple Intelligence features with macOS 15.2 and iOS/iPadOS 18.2. These updates highlight Apple’s ongoing commitment to privacy while also raising new considerations for businesses.

If you’re an SMB owner, IT manager, or operations lead, here’s what you need to know about these changes and how they might affect your organization.

What’s New in Apple Intelligence

Apple’s latest updates build on their philosophy of integrating AI into their devices without compromising privacy. Let’s break down the key updates and what they mean for your business.

On-Device AI: Keeping Data Where It Belongs

Apple Intelligence leans heavily on on-device processing, which means tasks like text suggestions and Mail’s new writing tools happen entirely on your device. Your data doesn’t leave the device—period.

Here’s why that’s a big deal:

  • Your content, and data, never touch Apple’s servers.
  • Everything stays local to your device, making this approach inherently more secure and private than AI models relying on external cloud infrastructure.

For business users, this is a reassuring baseline. On-device AI ensures sensitive business information—emails, confidential drafts, or internal notes—stays where it belongs: in your hands.

Private Cloud Compute: ChatGPT Meets Siri (Under Apple’s Rules)

With macOS 15.2, Apple has introduced a limited integration of ChatGPT into Siri via Private Cloud Compute (PCC). This allows certain Siri queries to leverage ChatGPT’s advanced language capabilities, but only under strict privacy guidelines:

  • Anonymization: Any data sent to PCC is stripped of identifiers, ensuring it can’t be linked back to you or your device.
  • Ephemeral processing: Apple processes the request in real-time but doesn’t store the data afterward.
  • No data sharing for training: Your input won’t be used to train ChatGPT or any other AI model.

This means you can take advantage of enhanced AI features—like more nuanced responses to Siri queries—without worrying about your data being stored or shared.

But there’s a twist: Apple now allows users to sign into their ChatGPT accounts via System Settings, creating a direct relationship between the user and OpenAI. If this option is enabled, Apple’s privacy protections no longer apply. Instead, the ChatGPT End User License Agreement (EULA) governs how your data is used, which includes the possibility of data retention and training.

What This Means for Your Business

Understanding the Balance: On-Device vs. Cloud-Based AI

The key difference between on-device and cloud-based AI boils down to control and exposure. With on-device AI, everything stays local, making it ideal for organizations handling sensitive information or working under strict compliance regulations.

Cloud-based AI, even under Apple’s robust privacy protections, introduces some level of external processing. While Apple’s PCC implementation is among the most secure in the industry, allowing ChatGPT account logins removes these safeguards, potentially exposing business data to third-party terms.

Compliance and Confidentiality

Depending on your industry, you should discuss with your legal team whether your organization needs to disable certain features to stay compliant with NDAs, HIPAA, or other regulatory guidelines. For example:

  • On-device AI can usually be used safely without concerns.
  • Cloud-based AI (PCC) may be suitable for general queries but could pose risks for sensitive client data.
  • ChatGPT account integration via System Settings should be carefully evaluated for its potential impact on confidentiality.

MDM Controls: The Best, and Only, Tool for Managing AI Features

If your organization uses Mobile Device Management (MDM), you’re in a strong position to control how these features are used. Apple has updated MDM options, allowing IT administrators to:

  • Block access to specific Apple Intelligence features.
  • Prevent users from signing into ChatGPT accounts.
  • Tailor permissions to align with your organization’s privacy policies.

For organizations without MDM managing these features is not possible, reinforcing that MDM is a necessary step for organizations with Apple devices.

Second Son’s Approach

We’ve taken a cautious but pragmatic approach at Second Son Consulting. On our own devices, we’ve allowed our users to enable the ChatGPT integration through Apple Intelligence to take advantage of its capabilities while benefiting from Apple’s privacy-first PCC framework.

However, we’ve also disabled the ability to sign into ChatGPT accounts via System Settings, ensuring any data processed remains anonymized and secure. This strikes a balance between functionality and protection that aligns with our commitment to privacy.

Next Steps for Your Business

Here are a few steps to help you navigate these changes:

  1. Discuss Internally: Talk with your team about how these features align with your business needs.
  2. Review Confidentiality and Compliance: Evaluate whether these tools could conflict with client NDAs or regulatory requirements.
  3. Explore MDM Options: If we are managing your MDM, we have already blocked these on your behalf to give you time to consider tailoring these features to your organization.

If you’re not using MDM, you are missing out on major controls of your tech ecosystem.

If you’d like guidance on how these updates might impact your organization—or need help crafting a custom MDM configuration—schedule a call with us. We’re happy to help you stay ahead of the curve.

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