At WWDC 2025, Apple signaled a major strategic shift by opening its AI technology, "Apple Intelligence," to developers. This move, coupled with new AI-powered developer tools, has significant implications for the global app ecosystem, with India poised to be a major beneficiary.

Apple's decision to grant developers access to the core technology behind Apple Intelligence marks a departure from its traditionally closed-off software strategy. Craig Federighi, Apple's Senior VP of Software Engineering, emphasized the company's commitment to providing developers with the latest tools and technologies to enable them to do their best work. This includes access to the Foundation Models framework, allowing developers to tap into on-device intelligence and integrate it into their own apps with just a few lines of Swift code. Xcode 26 now comes with ChatGPT built-in, so developers can write, fix, and debug code without leaving their workflow. There’s also a new design system called Liquid Glass that adds some visual flair, but the real news is how tightly everything now fits together.

One of the key announcements was the expansion of the Image Playground tool with ChatGPT integration in iOS 26. Users can describe the desired look, and ChatGPT will handle the image transformation. Developers can access this enhanced feature through a revamped Image Playground API, allowing them to incorporate it into their applications. This highlights Apple's increasing reliance on OpenAI's technology to boost device features, a collaboration that began a year ago with ChatGPT integration into Siri. Apple also introduced new iPhone features powered by Apple Intelligence to simplify tasks and interact with content in a smarter way, such as Live Translation, which works in real-time within Messages, FaceTime, and Phone, ensuring user privacy through on-device processing.

For Indian iOS developers, these updates are keenly anticipated. They are particularly interested in productivity and developer experience enhancements, especially improvements to Xcode, which allows them to develop, test, and deploy apps across all Apple platforms. Akshat Srivastava, a winner of Apple's 2024 Swift Student Challenge, noted that WWDC is a key moment for the community and that small gains in Xcode performance can make a big difference for teams building enterprise apps. Independent developer Harshil Shah expressed excitement about the rumored design unification across iOS and macOS, which would simplify UI decisions across platforms.

India stands to gain significantly from Apple's new AI initiatives. India has emerged as the fastest-growing developer population globally and ranks second in public generative AI projects on GitHub. The country is home to 16% of the world's AI talent. The India Skills Report 2024 forecasts that India's AI industry will reach USD 28.8 billion by 2025, with a CAGR of 45%. Recognizing this potential, the Indian government has launched the National AI Mission to establish India as a leader in AI by integrating it into various sectors. The mission emphasizes building a robust infrastructure for AI development and addressing the shortage of skilled professionals.

Several factors contribute to India's strong position. The country has a large pool of tech talent and a thriving startup ecosystem. Moreover, the increasing adoption of AI across sectors like healthcare, agriculture, finance, retail, and manufacturing is driving demand for AI-powered solutions. India's AI chip market is projected to grow at a remarkable rate of 37.5% annually from 2024 to 2030, potentially reaching nearly USD 202 billion by the end of this period.

However, challenges remain. India needs to address issues related to research quality, private investment, and the ethical considerations that accompany AI. Sustained investment, a balanced regulatory approach, and a focus on fostering a comprehensive AI ecosystem will be crucial for India to realize its full potential as a global AI powerhouse.

Apple's decision to open its AI empire to developers comes at a crucial time, as the company seeks to revitalize its AI narrative. By providing developers with powerful, easy-to-use AI tools, Apple aims to foster innovation and differentiate its devices from competitors. For India, this represents a golden opportunity to leverage its vast talent pool and emerging AI ecosystem to become a major player in the global AI landscape.