Rumor: iOS 18 will let users create custom emoji using generative AI

We’re just two weeks away from WWDC, where Apple will showcase iOS 18 with new AI features, home screen customization updates, and more. According to a new report today, one of the new “standout AI features” will allegedly be the ability to use artificial intelligence to “create custom emojis.”

In the latest edition of his Power On newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman outlines what to expect from iOS 18 and macOS 15. In addition to AI features for things like notifications, Photos, Notes, and more, Apple is also planning for this emoji creation tool to be a “standout” among users.

Gurman writes:

One standout feature will bring generative AI to emojis. The company is developing software that can create custom emojis on the fly, based on what users are texting. That means you’ll suddenly have an all-new emoji for any occasion, beyond the catalog of options that Apple currently offers on the iPhone and other devices.

Apple adds new emoji to the iPhone every year with updates to iOS. For example, iOS 17.4 in March added a handful of new emoji characters to the iPhone. This new “generative AI” feature will presumably mean users no longer have to wait for those yearly updates to unlock more emoji customization.

Also in today’s newsletter, Gurman writes that iOS 18 will let users re-color app icons for personal home screen customization. The update is also expected to allow users to place app icons and widgets more freely across their home screen, rather than be confined to the current fixed aligned grid.