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.

If try to dynamically load WhipserKit's models, as in below, the download never occurs. No error or anything. And at the same time I can still get to the huggingface.co hosting site without any headaches, so it's not a blocking issue. let config = WhisperKitConfig( model: "openai_whisper-large-v3", modelRepo: "argmaxinc/whisperkit-coreml" ) So I have to default to the tiny model as seen below. I have tried so many ways, using ChatGPT and others, to build the models on my Mac, but too many failures, because I have never dealt with builds like that before. Are there any hosting sites that have the models (small, medium, large) already built where I can download them and just bundle them into my project? Wasted quite a large amount of time trying to get this done. import Foundation import WhisperKit @MainActor class WhisperLoader: ObservableObject { var pipe: WhisperKit? init() { Task { await self.initializeWhisper() } } private func initializeWhisper() async { do { Logging.shared.logLevel = .debug Logging.shared.loggingCallback = { message in print("[WhisperKit] \(message)") } let pipe = try await WhisperKit() // defaults to "tiny" self.pipe = pipe print("initialized. Model state: \(pipe.modelState)") guard let audioURL = Bundle.main.url(forResource: "44pf", withExtension: "wav") else { fatalError("not in bundle") } let result = try await pipe.transcribe(audioPath: audioURL.path) print("result: \(result)") } catch { print("Error: \(error)") } } }

Hello, I am interested in using jax-metal to train ML models using Apple Silicon. I understand this is experimental. After installing jax-metal according to https://developer.apple.com/metal/jax/, my python code fails with the following error JaxRuntimeError: UNKNOWN: -:0:0: error: unknown attribute code: 22 -:0:0: note: in bytecode version 6 produced by: StableHLO_v1.12.1 My issue is identical to the one reported here https://github.com/jax-ml/jax/issues/26968#issuecomment-2733120325, and is fixed by pinning to jax-metal 0.1.1., jax 0.5.0 and jaxlib 0.5.0. Thank you!

I am follwing this tutorial: https://apple.github.io/coremltools/docs-guides/source/convert-a-torchvision-model-from-pytorch.html I have obtained simialr result using the python code. However when I view it in Xcode, the preview prediction percentage confidence is way off I suspect it is due the the output of the model, which is in percentage already and in Xcode it multiply 100 again leading to this result. Please give me any feedback to fix this, thank you.

Hi everyone, I've been building an on-device AI safety layer called Newton Engine, designed to validate prompts before they reach FoundationModels (or any LLM). Wanted to share v1.3 and get feedback from the community. The Problem Current AI safety is post-training — baked into the model, probabilistic, not auditable. When Apple Intelligence ships with FoundationModels, developers will need a way to catch unsafe prompts before inference, with deterministic results they can log and explain. What Newton Does Newton validates every prompt pre-inference and returns: Phase (0/1/7/8/9) Shape classification Confidence score Full audit trace If validation fails, generation is blocked. If it passes (Phase 9), the prompt proceeds to the model. v1.3 Detection Categories (14 total) Jailbreak / prompt injection Corrosive self-negation ("I hate myself") Hedged corrosive ("Not saying I'm worthless, but...") Emotional dependency ("You're the only one who understands") Third-person manipulation ("If you refuse, you're proving nobody cares") Logical contradictions ("Prove truth doesn't exist") Self-referential paradox ("Prove that proof is impossible") Semantic inversion ("Explain how truth can be false") Definitional impossibility ("Square circle") Delegated agency ("Decide for me") Hallucination-risk prompts ("Cite the 2025 CDC report") Unbounded recursion ("Repeat forever") Conditional unbounded ("Until you can't") Nonsense / low semantic density Test Results 94.3% catch rate on 35 adversarial test cases (33/35 passed). Architecture User Input ↓ [ Newton ] → Validates prompt, assigns Phase ↓ Phase 9? → [ FoundationModels ] → Response Phase 1/7/8? → Blocked with explanation Key Properties Deterministic (same input → same output) Fully auditable (ValidationTrace on every prompt) On-device (no network required) Native Swift / SwiftUI String Catalog localization (EN/ES/FR) FoundationModels-ready (#if canImport) Code Sample — Validation let governor = NewtonGovernor() let result = governor.validate(prompt: userInput) if result.permitted { // Proceed to FoundationModels let session = LanguageModelSession() let response = try await session.respond(to: userInput) } else { // Handle block print("Blocked: Phase \(result.phase.rawValue) — \(result.reasoning)") print(result.trace.summary) // Full audit trace } Questions for the Community Anyone else building pre-inference validation for FoundationModels? Thoughts on the Phase system (0/1/7/8/9) vs. simple pass/fail? Interest in Shape Theory classification for prompt complexity? Best practices for integrating with LanguageModelSession? Links GitHub: https://github.com/jaredlewiswechs/ada-newton Technical overview: parcri.net Happy to share more implementation details. Looking for feedback, collaborators, and anyone else thinking about deterministic AI safety on-device.

Hi, I am modifying the sample camera app that is here: https://developer.apple.com/tutorials/sample-apps/capturingphotos-camerapreview ... In the processPreviewImages, I am using the Vision APIs to generate a segmentation mask for a person/object, then compositing that person onto a different background (with some other filtering). The filtering and compositing is done via CoreImage. At the end, I convert the CIImage to a CGImage then to a SwiftUI Image. When I run it on my iPhone, it works fine, and has not crashed. When I run it on the iPhone with the debugger, it crashes within a few seconds with: EXC_BAD_ACCESS in libRPAC.dylib`std::__1::__hash_table<std::__1::__hash_value_type<long, qos_info_t>, std::__1::__unordered_map_hasher<long, std::__1::__hash_value_type<long, qos_info_t>, std::__1::hash, std::__1::equal_to, true>, std::__1::__unordered_map_equal<long, std::__1::__hash_value_type<long, qos_info_t>, std::__1::equal_to, std::__1::hash, true>, std::__1::allocator<std::__1::__hash_value_type<long, qos_info_t>>>::__emplace_unique_key_args<long, std::__1::piecewise_construct_t const&, std::__1::tuple<long const&>, std::__1::tuple<>>: It had previously been working fine with the debugger, so I'm not sure what has changed. Is there a difference in how the Vision APIs are executed if the debugger is attached vs. not?

Hello. I am willing to hire game developer for cards game called baloot. My question is Can the developer implement an AI when the computer is playing and the computer on the same time the conputer improves his rises level without any interaction? 🌹

When using CoreML for VAE model prediction, the prediction result shows a distorted display with no error messages. How can this issue be addressed?

: Hello, I’m seeking clarification on whether Apple provides any framework or API that enables deep integration between Siri and advanced AI assistants (such as ChatGPT), including system-level functions like voice interaction, navigation, cross-platform syncing, and operational access similar to Siri’s own capabilities. If no such option exists today, I would appreciate guidance on the recommended path or approved third-party solutions for building a unified, voice-first experience across Apple’s ecosystem. Thank you for your time and insight.

Hardware: Macbook Pro M4 Nov 2024 Software: macOS Tahoe 26.0 & xcode 26.0 Apple Intelligence is activated and the Image playground macOS app works Running the following on xcode throws ImagePlayground.ImageCreator.Error.creationFailed Any suggestions on how to make this work? import Foundation import ImagePlayground Task { let creator = try await ImageCreator() guard let style = creator.availableStyles.first else { print("No styles available") exit(1) } let images = creator.images( for: [.text("A cat wearing mittens.")], style: style, limit: 1) for try await image in images { print("Generated image: \(image)") } exit(0) } RunLoop.main.run()

Hello fellow developers, I'm the founder of a FinTech startup, Cent Capital (https://cent.capital), where we are building an AI-powered financial co-pilot. We're deeply exploring the Apple ecosystem to create a more proactive and ambient user experience. A core part of our vision is to use App Intents and the Shortcuts app to surface personalized financial insights without the user always needing to open our app. For example, suggesting a Shortcut like, "What's my spending in the 'Dining Out' category this month?" or having an App Intent proactively surface an insight like, "Your 'Subscriptions' budget is almost full." My question for the community is about the architectural and user experience best practices for this. How are you thinking about the balance between providing rich, actionable insights via Intents without being overly intrusive or "spammy" to the user? What are the best practices for designing the data model that backs these App Intents for a complex domain like personal finance? Are there specific performance or privacy considerations we should be aware of when surfacing potentially sensitive financial data through these system-level integrations? We believe this is the future of FinTech apps on iOS and would love to hear how other developers are thinking about this challenge. Thanks for your insights!

I’m trying to follow Apple’s “WWDC24: Bring your machine learning and AI models to Apple Silicon” session to convert the Mistral-7B-Instruct-v0.2 model into a Core ML package, but I’ve run into a roadblock that I can’t seem to overcome. I’ve uploaded my full conversion script here for reference: https://pastebin.com/T7Zchzfc When I run the script, it progresses through tracing and MIL conversion but then fails at the backend_mlprogram stage with this error: https://pastebin.com/fUdEzzKM The core of the error is: ValueError: Op "keyCache_tmp" (op_type: identity) Input x="keyCache" expects list, tensor, or scalar but got state[tensor[1,32,8,2048,128,fp16]] I’ve registered my KV-cache buffers in a StatefulMistralWrapper subclass of nn.Module, matching the keyCache and valueCache state names in my ct.StateType definitions, but Core ML’s backend pass reports the state tensor as an invalid input. I’m using Core ML Tools 8.3.0 on Python 3.9.6, targeting iOS18, and forcing CPU conversion (MPS wasn’t available). Any pointers on how to satisfy the handle_unused_inputs pass or properly declare/cache state for GQA models in Core ML would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance for your help, Usman Khan

Hello, I have a question regarding hybrid execution for deep learning models on Apple's Neural Engine and CPU. I am aware that setting the precision of some layers to 32-bit allows hybrid execution across both the Neural Engine and the CPU. However, I would like to know if it is possible to achieve the same with 16-bit precision. Is there any specific configuration or workaround to enable hybrid execution in this case? Any guidance or documentation references would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

@property (assign,nonatomic) long long experimentalMLE5EngineUsage; //@synthesize experimentalMLE5EngineUsage=_experimentalMLE5EngineUsage - In the implementation block What is it, and why would disabling it fix NMS for a MLProgram? Is there anyway to signal this flag from model metadata? Is there anyway to signal or disable from a global, system-level scope? It's extremely easy to reproduce, but do not know how to investigate the drastic regression between toggling this flag let config = MLModelConfiguration() config.setValue(1, forKey: "experimentalMLE5EngineUsage")

I’m keep looking around documentation and some sample codes but still haven’t found example of how was used this type of Network Regressor . Does it take some special parameters to perform on ANE , what size,format of DataFrame ?

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

I'm downloading a fine-tuned model from HuggingFace which is then cached on my Mac when the app first starts. However, I wanted to test adding a progress bar to show the download progress. To test this I need to delete the cached model. From what I've seen online this is cached at /Users/userName/.cache/huggingface/hub However, if I delete the files from here, using Terminal, the app still seems to be able to access the model. Is the model cached somewhere else? On my iPhone it seems deleting the app also deletes the cached model (app data) so that is useful.

I am excited to share that I have developed a Metal kernel for Flash Attention that eliminates race conditions and fully leverages Apple Silicon’s shared memory and registers. This kernel can dramatically accelerate training of transformer-based models. Early benchmarks suggest that models which previously required months to train could see reductions to just a few hours on Apple hardware, while maintaining numerical stability and accuracy. I plan to make the code publicly available to enable the broader community to benefit. I would be happy to keep you updated on the latest developments and improvements as I continue testing and optimizing the kernel. I believe this work could provide valuable insights for Apple’s machine learning research and products.

Hi everyone, I'm working with VNFeaturePrintObservation in Swift to compute the similarity between images. The computeDistance function allows me to calculate the distance between two images, and I want to cluster similar images based on these distances. Current Approach Right now, I'm using a brute-force approach where I compare every image against every other image in the dataset. This results in an O(n^2) complexity, which quickly becomes a bottleneck. With 5000 images, it takes around 10 seconds to complete, which is too slow for my use case. Question Are there any efficient algorithms or data structures I can use to improve performance? If anyone has experience with optimizing feature vector clustering or has suggestions on how to scale this efficiently, I'd really appreciate your insights. Thanks!

Hi all, I'm trying to find out if/when we can expect mxfp8/mxfp4 support on Apple Silicon. I've noticed that mlx now has casting data types, but all computation is still done in bf16. Would be great to reduce power consumption with support for these lower precision data types since edge inference is already typically done at a lower precision! Thanks in advance.

Posting a follow up question after the WWDC 2025 Machine Learning AI & Frameworks Group Lab on June 12. In regards to the on-device API of any of the AI frameworks (foundation model, vision framework, ect.), is there a response condition or path where the API outsources it's input to ChatGPT if the user has allowed this like Siri does? Ignore this if it's a no: is this handled behind the scenes or by the developer?