Apple brings AI to automation
Apple's new Shortcuts upgrade lets you describe the workflow you want in plain language and have the app build it for you. Instead of assembling actions manually, users can type or speak a prompt — for example, "Create a weekly summary of saved articles and email it to my team" — and Shortcuts will generate the steps to accomplish that task.
The result is a much lower barrier to entry for automation. What used to require learning specific actions and parameters can now be created in minutes, opening automation to people who don’t want to dive into the mechanics of workflows. That means students, busy professionals, and casual users can all get more done with fewer taps.
Practical benefits include faster setup of recurring tasks, easier batch processing (photos, files, messages), and streamlined integrations across apps and system features. Because the feature is built into Shortcuts, the generated automations are ready to customize, test, and run across iPhone, iPad and Mac.
- Build automations by describing the outcome, not the steps.
- Save time on repetitive tasks and simplify complex sequences.
- Make automation accessible to nontechnical users while still allowing advanced customization.