AirPods Pro 2 recently received huge new features in Hearing Aid, Hearing Test, and Hearing Protection. But for many users, Apple’s latest iOS update may be even more transformative thanks to a key Apple Intelligence upgrade. Here’s how iOS 18.2 makes AirPods more powerful than ever.
Apple Intelligence was introduced in iOS 18. 1, but some of its most anticipated new features have just arrived in iOS 18. 2.
One of them is the integration of ChatGPT with Siri.
I’ve been in beta for the new AI feature for months and I think it has great potential for users, especially when it comes to AirPods.
When Apple first demoed ChatGPT integration, it seemed like you could only tap into OpenAI’s smarts for certain requests. As Apple put it, Siri would be better at personal knowledge that relates to you, while ChatGPT could help out with ‘world knowledge’ questions.
But one of the many tidbits we learned when the first iOS 18.2 beta shipped is that ChatGPT can be your go-to assistant for any Siri request.
iOS 18. 2, you must say “Ask ChatGPT” at the beginning of your Siri request for it to be sent to ChatGPT immediately.
Which can make your AirPods experience a whole lot like the movie Her, starring Joaquin Phoenix and Scarlett Johansson.
When your AirPods are connected to a compatible iPhone or iPad running iOS 18. 2 or iPadOS 18. 2, you can call Siri the same way you would.
On modern iPhones, this simply says the single word “Siri. “
Then, you can say, ‘ask ChatGPT…’
This is simplified enough. But the really interesting thing is with the follow-up requests.
After ChatGPT responds to your request, Siri will continue to pay attention for a moment to any follow-up requests. I don’t want to repeat “Siri, ask ChatGPT”.
Instead, you can simply offer a follow-up or unrelated moment request, and Siri will know that you need to continue interacting with ChatGPT.
If you have a ChatGPT Plus account, you can even use ChatGPT’s complex voice mode to have a more realistic conversation.
I perceive that the answers are simple to use. You scroll back to locate a previous answer. One solution is to have Siri/ChatGPT record the reaction to a note. This is useful, for example, with a recipe. You can’t save ChatGPT to a folder, but you can ask “Save this as a note” and the reaction is “Done. ” Siri/ChatGPT also integrates email and text messages so you can send yourself a reply. You can interrupt the verbal reading of the reaction to do all this. I just tried it, it works.
Again, this all works perfectly and you feel like you’re entering the Her era of AirPods.
None of the ChatGPT interactions through Siri and Apple Intelligence require AirPods. You can do it all on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac—in many cases even with another pair of headphones.
But doing all this with AirPods turns out to be the future. And that’s yet another reason to keep AirPods in your ears as much as possible.
Have you tried ChatGPT interactions via Siri and your AirPods? What has that experience been like? Let us know in the comments.
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Ryan started in journalism as an editor at MacStories, where he worked for 4 years covering Apple news, writing app reviews, and more. For two years, he co-hosted the Adapt podcast on Relay FM, which was completely faithful to the iPad. That’s why it’s no surprise that your favorite Apple device is the iPad Pro.