At WWDC25 we launched a new type of Lab event for the developer community - Group Labs. A Group Lab is a panel Q&A designed for a large audience of developers. Group Labs are a unique opportunity for the community to submit questions directly to a panel of Apple engineers and designers. Here are the highlights from the WWDC25 Group Lab for Machine Learning and AI Frameworks. What are you most excited about in the Foundation Models framework? The Foundation Models framework provides access to an on-device Large Language Model (LLM), enabling entirely on-device processing for intelligent features. This allows you to build features such as personalized search suggestions and dynamic NPC generation in games. The combination of guided generation and streaming capabilities is particularly exciting for creating delightful animations and features with reliable output. The seamless integration with SwiftUI and the new design material Liquid Glass is also a major advantage. When should I still bring my own LLM via CoreML? It's generally recommended to first explore Apple's built-in system models and APIs, including the Foundation Models framework, as they are highly optimized for Apple devices and cover a wide range of use cases. However, Core ML is still valuable if you need more control or choice over the specific model being deployed, such as customizing existing system models or augmenting prompts. Core ML provides the tools to get these models on-device, but you are responsible for model distribution and updates. Should I migrate PyTorch code to MLX? MLX is an open-source, general-purpose machine learning framework designed for Apple Silicon from the ground up. It offers a familiar API, similar to PyTorch, and supports C, C++, Python, and Swift. MLX emphasizes unified memory, a key feature of Apple Silicon hardware, which can improve performance. It's recommended to try MLX and see if its programming model and features better suit your application's needs. MLX shines when working with state-of-the-art, larger models. Can I test Foundation Models in Xcode simulator or device? Yes, you can use the Xcode simulator to test Foundation Models use cases. However, your Mac must be running macOS Tahoe. You can test on a physical iPhone running iOS 18 by connecting it to your Mac and running Playgrounds or live previews directly on the device. Which on-device models will be supported? any open source models? The Foundation Models framework currently supports Apple's first-party models only. This allows for platform-wide optimizations, improving battery life and reducing latency. While Core ML can be used to integrate open-source models, it's generally recommended to first explore the built-in system models and APIs provided by Apple, including those in the Vision, Natural Language, and Speech frameworks, as they are highly optimized for Apple devices. For frontier models, MLX can run very large models. How often will the Foundational Model be updated? How do we test for stability when the model is updated? The Foundation Model will be updated in sync with operating system updates. You can test your app against new model versions during the beta period by downloading the beta OS and running your app. It is highly recommended to create an "eval set" of golden prompts and responses to evaluate the performance of your features as the model changes or as you tweak your prompts. Report any unsatisfactory or satisfactory cases using Feedback Assistant. Which on-device model/API can I use to extract text data from images such as: nutrition labels, ingredient lists, cashier receipts, etc? Thank you. The Vision framework offers the RecognizeDocumentRequest which is specifically designed for these use cases. It not only recognizes text in images but also provides the structure of the document, such as rows in a receipt or the layout of a nutrition label. It can also identify data like phone numbers, addresses, and prices. What is the context window for the model? What are max tokens in and max tokens out? The context window for the Foundation Model is 4,096 tokens. The split between input and output tokens is flexible. For example, if you input 4,000 tokens, you'll have 96 tokens remaining for the output. The API takes in text, converting it to tokens under the hood. When estimating token count, a good rule of thumb is 3-4 characters per token for languages like English, and 1 character per token for languages like Japanese or Chinese. Handle potential errors gracefully by asking for shorter prompts or starting a new session if the token limit is exceeded. Is there a rate limit for Foundation Models API that is limited by power or temperature condition on the iPhone? Yes, there are rate limits, particularly when your app is in the background. A budget is allocated for background app usage, but exceeding it will result in rate-limiting errors. In the foreground, there is no rate limit unless the device is under heavy load (e.g., camera open, game mode). The system dynamically balances performance, battery life, and thermal conditions, which can affect the token throughput. Use appropriate quality of service settings for your tasks (e.g., background priority for background work) to help the system manage resources effectively. Do the foundation models support languages other than English? Yes, the on-device Foundation Model is multilingual and supports all languages supported by Apple Intelligence. To get the model to output in a specific language, prompt it with instructions indicating the user's preferred language using the locale API (e.g., "The user's preferred language is en-US"). Putting the instructions in English, but then putting the user prompt in the desired output language is a recommended practice. Are larger server-based models available through Foundation Models? No, the Foundation Models API currently only provides access to the on-device Large Language Model at the core of Apple Intelligence. It does not support server-side models. On-device models are preferred for privacy and for performance reasons. Is it possible to run Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) using the Foundation Models framework? Yes, it is possible to run RAG on-device, but the Foundation Models framework does not include a built-in embedding model. You'll need to use a separate database to store vectors and implement nearest neighbor or cosine distance searches. The Natural Language framework offers simple word and sentence embeddings that can be used. Consider using a combination of Foundation Models and Core ML, using Core ML for your embedding model.

I have been able to train an adapter on Google's Colaboratory. I am able to start a LanguageModelSession and load it with my adapter. The problem is that after one simple prompt, the context window is 90% full. If I start the session without the adapter, the same simple prompt consumes only 1% of the context window. Has anyone encountered this? I asked Claude AI and it seems to think that my training script needs adjusting. Grok on the other hand is (wrongly, I tried) convinced that I just need to tweak some parameters of LanguageModelSession or SystemLanguageModel. Thanks for any tips.

Hi, guys. I'm writing about Apple Intelligence and I reached the point I have to explain App Intent Domains https://developer.apple.com/documentation/AppIntents/app-intent-domains but I noticed that there is a note explaining that these services are not available with Siri. I tried the example provided by Apple at https://developer.apple.com/documentation/AppIntents/making-your-app-s-functionality-available-to-siri and I can only make the intents work from the Shortcuts App, but not from Siri. Is this correct. App Intent Domains are still not available with Siri? Thanks

Hello, I'm using videotoolbox superresolution API in MACOS 26: https://developer.apple.com/documentation/videotoolbox/vtsuperresolutionscalerconfiguration/downloadconfigurationmodel(completionhandler:)?language=objc, when using swift, it's ok, when using objective-c, I get error when downloading model with downloadConfigurationModelWithCompletionHandler: [Auto] MA-auto{_failedLockContent} | failure reported by server | error:[com.apple.MobileAssetError.AutoAsset:MissingReference(6111)] [Auto] MA-auto{_failedLockContent} | failure reported by server | error:[com.apple.MobileAssetError.AutoAsset:UnderlyingError(6107)_1_com.apple.MobileAssetError.Download:47] Download completion handler called with error: The operation couldnxe2x80x99t be completed. (VTFrameProcessorErrorDomain error -19743.)

Is foundation models matured enough to take input from the Apple Vision framework to generate responses? Something similar to what google's gemini does although in a much smaller scale and for a very specific niche.

Hi, I'm currently using Metal Performance Shaders Graph (MPSGraphExecutable) to run neural network inference operations as part of a metal rendering pipeline. I also tried to profile the usage of neural engine when running inference using MPSGraphExecutable but the graph shows no sign of neural engine usage. However, when I used the coreML model inspection tool in xcode and run performance report, it was able to use ANE. Does MPSGraphExecutable automatically utilize the Apple Neural Engine (ANE) when running inference operations, or does it only execute on GPU? My model (Core ML Package) was converted from a pytouch model using coremltools with ML program type and support iOS17.0+. Any insights or documentation references would be greatly appreciated!

I'm on Tahoe 26.1 / M3 Macbook Air. I'm using VNDetectFaceRectanglesRequest as properly as possible, as in the minimal command line program attached below. For some reason, I always get: MLE5Engine is disabled through the configuration printed. I couldn't find any notes on developer docs saying that VNDetectFaceRectanglesRequest can not use the Apple Neural Engine. I'm assuming there is something wrong with my code however I wasn't able to find any remarks from documentation where it might be. I wasn't able to find the above error message online either. I would appreciate your help a lot and thank you in advance. The code below accesses the video from AVCaptureDevice.DeviceType.builtInWideAngleCamera. Currently it directly chooses the 0th format which has the largest resolution (Full HD on my M3 MBA) and "4:2:0" color "v" reduced color component spectrum encoding ("420v"). After accessing video, it performs a VNDetectFaceRectanglesRequest. It prints "VNDetectFaceRectanglesRequest completion Handler called" many times, then prints the error message above, then continues printing "VNDetectFaceRectanglesRequest completion Handler called" until the user quits it. To run it in Xcode, File > New project > Mac command line tool. Pasting the code below, then click on the root file > Targets > Signing & Capabilities > Hardened Runtime > Resource Access > Camera. A possible explanation could be that either Apple's internal CoreML code for this function works on GPU/CPU only or it doesn't accept 420v as supplied by the Macbook Air camera import AVKit import Vision var videoDataOutput: AVCaptureVideoDataOutput = AVCaptureVideoDataOutput() var detectionRequests: [VNDetectFaceRectanglesRequest]? var videoDataOutputQueue: DispatchQueue = DispatchQueue(label: "queue") class XYZ: /*NSViewController or NSObject*/NSObject, AVCaptureVideoDataOutputSampleBufferDelegate { func viewDidLoad() { //super.viewDidLoad() let session = AVCaptureSession() let inputDevice = try! self.configureFrontCamera(for: session) self.configureVideoDataOutput(for: inputDevice.device, resolution: inputDevice.resolution, captureSession: session) self.prepareVisionRequest() session.startRunning() } fileprivate func highestResolution420Format(for device: AVCaptureDevice) -> (format: AVCaptureDevice.Format, resolution: CGSize)? { let deviceFormat = device.formats[0] print(deviceFormat) let dims = CMVideoFormatDescriptionGetDimensions(deviceFormat.formatDescription) let resolution = CGSize(width: CGFloat(dims.width), height: CGFloat(dims.height)) return (deviceFormat, resolution) } fileprivate func configureFrontCamera(for captureSession: AVCaptureSession) throws -> (device: AVCaptureDevice, resolution: CGSize) { let deviceDiscoverySession = AVCaptureDevice.DiscoverySession(deviceTypes: [AVCaptureDevice.DeviceType.builtInWideAngleCamera], mediaType: .video, position: AVCaptureDevice.Position.unspecified) let device = deviceDiscoverySession.devices.first! let deviceInput = try! AVCaptureDeviceInput(device: device) captureSession.addInput(deviceInput) let highestResolution = self.highestResolution420Format(for: device)! try! device.lockForConfiguration() device.activeFormat = highestResolution.format device.unlockForConfiguration() return (device, highestResolution.resolution) } fileprivate func configureVideoDataOutput(for inputDevice: AVCaptureDevice, resolution: CGSize, captureSession: AVCaptureSession) { videoDataOutput.setSampleBufferDelegate(self, queue: videoDataOutputQueue) captureSession.addOutput(videoDataOutput) } fileprivate func prepareVisionRequest() { let faceDetectionRequest: VNDetectFaceRectanglesRequest = VNDetectFaceRectanglesRequest(completionHandler: { (request, error) in print("VNDetectFaceRectanglesRequest completion Handler called") }) // Start with detection detectionRequests = [faceDetectionRequest] } // MARK: AVCaptureVideoDataOutputSampleBufferDelegate // Handle delegate method callback on receiving a sample buffer. public func captureOutput(_ output: AVCaptureOutput, didOutput sampleBuffer: CMSampleBuffer, from connection: AVCaptureConnection) { var requestHandlerOptions: [VNImageOption: AnyObject] = [:] let cameraIntrinsicData = CMGetAttachment(sampleBuffer, key: kCMSampleBufferAttachmentKey_CameraIntrinsicMatrix, attachmentModeOut: nil) if cameraIntrinsicData != nil { requestHandlerOptions[VNImageOption.cameraIntrinsics] = cameraIntrinsicData } let pixelBuffer = CMSampleBufferGetImageBuffer(sampleBuffer)! // No tracking object detected, so perform initial detection let imageRequestHandler = VNImageRequestHandler(cvPixelBuffer: pixelBuffer, orientation: CGImagePropertyOrientation.up, options: requestHandlerOptions) try! imageRequestHandler.perform(detectionRequests!) } } let X = XYZ() X.viewDidLoad() sleep(9999999)

We’ve encountered what appears to be a CoreML regression between macOS 26.0.1 and macOS 26.1 Beta. In macOS 26.0.1, CoreML models run and produce correct results. However, in macOS 26.1 Beta, the same models produce scrambled or corrupted outputs, suggesting that tensor memory is being read or written incorrectly. The behavior is consistent with a low-level stride or pointer arithmetic issue — for example, using 16-bit strides on 32-bit data or other mismatches in tensor layout handling. Reproduction Install ON1 Photo RAW 2026 or ON1 Resize 2026 on macOS 26.0.1. Use the newest Highest Quality resize model, which is Stable Diffusion–based and runs through CoreML. Observe correct, high-quality results. Upgrade to macOS 26.1 Beta and run the same operation again. The output becomes visually scrambled or corrupted. We are also seeing similar issues with another Stable Diffusion UNet model that previously worked correctly on macOS 26.0.1. This suggests the regression may affect multiple diffusion-style architectures, likely due to a change in CoreML’s tensor stride, layout computation, or memory alignment between these versions. Notes The affected models are exported using standard CoreML conversion pipelines. No custom operators or third-party CoreML runtime layers are used. The issue reproduces consistently across multiple machines. It would be helpful to know if there were changes to CoreML’s tensor layout, precision handling, or MLCompute backend between macOS 26.0.1 and 26.1 Beta, or if this is a known regression in the current beta.

Lately I am getting this error. GenerativeModelsAvailability.Parameters: Initialized with invalid language code: en-GB. Expected to receive two-letter ISO 639 code. e.g. 'zh' or 'en'. Falling back to: en Does anyone know what this is and how it can be resolved. The error does not crash the app

Is there an API that allows iOS app developers to leverage Apple Foundation Models to authorize a user's Apple Intelligence extension, chatGPT login account? I'm trying to provide a real-time question feature for chatGPT, a logged-in extension account, while leveraging Apple Intelligence's LLM. Is there an API that also affects the extension login account?

Hello, is it allowed to use Foundation Model Framework in submission app for WWDC26? The thing is that Apple Intelligence needs to be enabled in the settings. So, does that mean the jury won't be able to fully utilize the app's AI functionality?

Hi, I was using Foundation Models in my app, and suddenly it just stopped working from one moment to the next. To double-check, I created a small test in Playgrounds, but I’m getting the exact same error there too. #Playground { let session = LanguageModelSession() let prompt = "please answer a word" do { let response = try await session.respond(to: prompt) } catch { print("error is \(error)") } } error is Error Domain=FoundationModels.LanguageModelSession.GenerationError Code=-1 "(null)" UserInfo={NSMultipleUnderlyingErrorsKey=( "Error Domain=ModelManagerServices.ModelManagerError Code=1026 \"(null)\" UserInfo={NSMultipleUnderlyingErrorsKey=(\n)}" )} I’m no longer able to get any response from the framework anywhere, even in a fresh project. It's been 5 days. Has anyone else experienced this issue or knows what could be causing it? Thanks in advance! Tahoe 26.2 beta 1, Xcode 26.1.1, iPhone Air simulator 26.1

I am working on an app using FoundationModels to process web pages. I am looking to find ways to filter the input to fit within the token limits. I have unit tests, UI tests and the app running on an iPad in the simulator. It appears that the different configurations of the test environment seems to affect the token limits. That is, the same input in a unit test and UI test will hit different token limits. Is this correct? Or is this an artifact of my test tooling?

Hi all! Nice to meet you., I am planning to build an iOS application that can: Capture an image using the camera or select one from the gallery. Remove the background and keep only the detected main object. Add a border (outline) around the detected object’s shape. Apply an animation along that border (e.g., moving light or glowing effect). Include a transition animation when removing the background — for example, breaking the background into pieces as it disappears. The app Capword has a similar feature for object isolation, and I’d like to build something like that. Could you please provide any guidance, frameworks, or sample code related to: Object segmentation and background removal in Swift (Vision or Core ML). Applying custom borders and shape animations around detected objects. Recognizing the object name (e.g., “person”, “cat”, “car”) after segmentation. Thank you very much for your support. Best regards, SINN SOKLYHOR

Hi, I'm trying to use the new RecognizeDocumentsRequest from the Vision Framework to read a receipt. It looks very promising by being able to read paragraphs, lines and detect data. So far it unfortunately seems to read every line on the receipt as a paragraph and when there is more space on one line it creates two paragraphs. Is there perhaps an Apple Engineer who knows if this is expected behaviour or if I should file a Feedback for this? Code setup: let request = RecognizeDocumentsRequest() let observations = try await request.perform(on: image) guard let document = observations.first?.document else { return } for paragraph in document.paragraphs { print(paragraph.transcript) for data in paragraph.detectedData { switch data.match.details { case .phoneNumber(let data): print("Phone: \(data)") case .postalAddress(let data): print("Postal: \(data)") case .calendarEvent(let data): print("Calendar: \(data)") case .moneyAmount(let data): print("Money: \(data)") case .measurement(let data): print("Measurement: \(data)") default: continue } } } See attached image as an example of a receipt I'd like to parse. The top 3 lines are the name, street, and postal code + city. These are all separate paragraphs. Checking on detectedData does see the street (2nd line) as PostalAddress, but not the complete address. Might that be a location thing since it's a Dutch address. And lower on the receipt it sees the block with "Pomp 1 95 Ongelood" and the things below also as separate paragraphs. First picking up the left side and after that the right side. So it's something like this: * Pomp 1 Volume Prijs € TOTAAL * BTW Netto 21.00 % 95 Ongelood 41,90 l 1.949/ 1 81.66 € 14.17 67.49

I am using macOS Tahoe on Xcode 26.

Hi all. My adapter model just won't invoke my tool. The problem I am having is covered in an older post: https://developer.apple.com/forums/thread/794839?answerId=852262022#852262022 Sadly the thread dies there and no resolution is seen in that thread. It's worth noting that I have developed an AI chatbot built around LanguageModelSession to which I feed the exact same system prompt that I feed to my training set (pasted further in this post). The AI chatbot works perfectly, the tool is invoked when needed. I am training the adapter model because the base model whilst capable doesn't produce the quality I'm looking for. So here's the template of an item in my training set: [ { 'role': 'system', 'content': systemPrompt, 'tools': [TOOL_DEFINITION] }, { 'role': 'user', 'content': entry['prompt'] }, { 'role': 'assistant', 'content': entry['code'] } ] where TOOL_DEFINITION = { 'type': 'function', 'function': { 'name': 'WriteUbersichtWidgetToFileSystem', 'description': 'Writes an Übersicht Widget to the file system. Call this tool as the last step in processing a prompt that generates a widget.', 'parameters': { 'type': 'object', 'properties': { 'jsxContent': { 'type': 'string', 'description': 'Complete JSX code for an Übersicht widget. This should include all required exports: command, refreshFrequency, render, and className. The JSX should be a complete, valid Übersicht widget file.' } }, 'required': ['jsxContent'] } } ... and systemPrompt = A conversation between a user and a helpful assistant. You are an Übersicht widget designer. Create Übersicht widgets when requested by the user. IMPORTANT: You have access to a tool called WriteUbersichtWidgetToFileSystem. When asked to create a widget, you MUST call this tool. ### Tool Usage: Call WriteUbersichtWidgetToFileSystem with complete JSX code that implements the Übersicht Widget API. Generate custom JSX based on the user's specific request - do not copy the example below. ### Übersicht Widget API (REQUIRED): Every Übersicht widget MUST export these 4 items: - export const command: The bash command to execute (string) - export const refreshFrequency: Refresh rate in milliseconds (number) - export const render: React component function that receives {output} prop (function) - export const className: CSS positioning for absolute placement (string) Example format (customize for each request): WriteUbersichtWidgetToFileSystem({jsxContent: `export const command = "echo hello"; export const refreshFrequency = 1000; export const render = ({output}) => { return <div>{output}</div>; }; export const className = "top: 20px; left: 20px;"`}) ### Rules: - The terms "ubersicht widget", "widget", "a widget", "the widget" must all be interpreted as "Übersicht widget" - Generate complete, valid JSX code that follows the Übersicht widget API - When you generate a widget, don't just show JSON or code - you MUST call the WriteUbersichtWidgetToFileSystem tool - Report the results to the user after calling the tool ### Examples: - "Generate a Übersicht widget" → Use WriteUbersichtWidgetToFileSystem tool - "Can you add a widget that shows the time" → Use WriteUbersichtWidgetToFileSystem tool - "Create a widget with a button" → Use WriteUbersichtWidgetToFileSystem tool When the script that I use to compose the full training set is executed, entry['prompt'] and entry['code'] contain the prompt and the resulting JSX code for one of the examples I'm feeding to the training session. This is repeated for about 60 such examples that I have in my sample data collection. Thanks for any help. Michael

Also submitted as feedback (ID: FB20612561). Tensorflow-metal fails on tensorflow versions above 2.18.1, but works fine on tensorflow 2.18.1 In a new python 3.12 virtual environment: pip install tensorflow pip install tensor flow-metal python -c "import tensorflow as tf" Prints error: Traceback (most recent call last): File "", line 1, in File "/Users//pt/venv/lib/python3.12/site-packages/tensorflow/init.py", line 438, in _ll.load_library(_plugin_dir) File "/Users//pt/venv/lib/python3.12/site-packages/tensorflow/python/framework/load_library.py", line 151, in load_library py_tf.TF_LoadLibrary(lib) tensorflow.python.framework.errors_impl.NotFoundError: dlopen(/Users//pt/venv/lib/python3.12/site-packages/tensorflow-plugins/libmetal_plugin.dylib, 0x0006): Library not loaded: @rpath/_pywrap_tensorflow_internal.so Referenced from: <8B62586B-B082-3113-93AB-FD766A9960AE> /Users//pt/venv/lib/python3.12/site-packages/tensorflow-plugins/libmetal_plugin.dylib Reason: tried: '/Users//pt/venv/lib/python3.12/site-packages/tensorflow-plugins/../_solib_darwin_arm64/_U@local_Uconfig_Utf_S_S_C_Upywrap_Utensorflow_Uinternal___Uexternal_Slocal_Uconfig_Utf/_pywrap_tensorflow_internal.so' (no such file), '/Users//pt/venv/lib/python3.12/site-packages/tensorflow-plugins/../_solib_darwin_arm64/_U@local_Uconfig_Utf_S_S_C_Upywrap_Utensorflow_Uinternal___Uexternal_Slocal_Uconfig_Utf/_pywrap_tensorflow_internal.so' (no such file), '/opt/homebrew/lib/_pywrap_tensorflow_internal.so' (no such file), '/System/Volumes/Preboot/Cryptexes/OS/opt/homebrew/lib/_pywrap_tensorflow_internal.so' (no such file)

My app used app intents. And when user said "Prüfung der Bluetooth Funktion", screen can show the whole words. But in my app, it only can get "Bluetooth Funktion". This behaviour only happened in German version. In English version, everything worked well. Is anyone can support me? Why German version siri cut my words?

After more than a year since the announcement, I'm still unable to get this feature working properly and wondering if there are known issues or missing implementation details. Current Setup: Device: iPhone 16 Pro Max iOS: 26 beta 3 Development: Tested on both Xcode 16 and Xcode 26 Implementation: Following the official documentation examples The Problem: Semantic search simply doesn't work. Lexical search functions normally, but enabling semantic search produces identical results to having it disabled. It's as if the feature isn't actually processing. Error Output (Xcode 26): [QPNLU][qid=5] Error Domain=com.apple.SpotlightEmbedding.EmbeddingModelError Code=-8007 "Text embedding generation timeout (timeout=100ms)" [CSUserQuery][qid=5] got a nil / empty embedding data dictionary [CSUserQuery][qid=5] semanticQuery failed to generate, using "(false)" In Xcode 16, there are no error messages at all - the semantic search just silently fails. Missing Resources: The sample application mentioned during the WWDC24 presentation doesn't appear to have been released, which makes it difficult to verify if my implementation is correct. Would really appreciate any guidance or clarification on the current status of this feature. Has anyone in the community successfully implemented this?