Foundation Models

RSS for tag

Discuss the Foundation Models framework which provides access to Apple’s on-device large language model that powers Apple Intelligence to help you perform intelligent tasks specific to your app.

Foundation Models Documentation

Posts under Foundation Models subtopic

Post

Replies

Boosts

Views

Activity

Foundation Model crash on macOS 15 (iPad app compatibility)
I have integrated Apple’s Foundation Model into my iOS application. As known, Foundation Model is only supported starting from iOS 26 on compatible devices. To maintain compatibility with older iOS versions, I wrapped the API calls with the condition if #available(iOS 26, *). The application works normally on an iPad running iOS 18 and on a Mac running macOS 26. However, when running the same build on a MacBook Air M1 (macOS 15) through iPad app compatibility, the app crashes immediately upon launch. The main issue is that I cannot debug directly on macOS 15, since the app can only be built on macOS 26 with Xcode beta. I then have to distribute it via TestFlight and download it on the MacBook Air M1 for testing. This makes identifying the detailed cause of the crash very difficult and time-consuming. Nevertheless, I have confirmed that the crash is caused by the Foundation Model APIs.
1
0
960
Aug ’25
When applied to a nested struct, @Generable macro results in infinite nested response from Foundation Model
When the @Generable is applied toward a Swift struct declared within another struct, and when said nested struct is defined as the type of one of the properties of another @Generable type, which is in turn defined as the output format of Foundation Model session, Foundation Model can stuck in a loop trying to create a infinitely nested response, until the context window limit exceeded error is triggered. I have filed feedback FB19987191 with a demo project. Is this expected behavior?
1
0
574
Sep ’25
Foundation Models framework dyld symbol errors after macOS 26 Beta 2 - LanguageModelSession constructor missing
Foundation Models framework worked perfectly on macOS 26 Beta 2, but starting from Beta 3 and continuing through Beta 6 (latest), I get dyld symbol errors even with the exact code from Apple's documentation. Environment: macOS 26.0 Beta 6 (25A5351b) Xcode 26 Beta 6 M4 Max MacBook Pro Apple Intelligence enabled and downloaded Error Details: dyld[Process]: Symbol not found: _$s16FoundationModels20LanguageModelSessionC5model10guardrails5tools12instructionsAcA06SystemcD0C_AC10GuardrailsVSayAA4Tool_pGAA12InstructionsVSgtcfC Referenced from: /path/to/app.debug.dylib Expected in: /System/Library/Frameworks/FoundationModels.framework/Versions/A/FoundationModels Code Used (Exact from Documentation): import FoundationModels // This worked on Beta 2, crashes on Beta 3+ let model = SystemLanguageModel.default let session = LanguageModelSession(model: model) let response = try await session.respond(to: "Hello") What I've Verified: FoundationModels.framework exists in /System/Library/Frameworks/ Framework is properly linked in Xcode project Apple Intelligence is enabled and working Same code works in older beta versions Issue persists even with completely fresh Xcode projects Analysis: The dyld error suggests the LanguageModelSession(model:) constructor is missing. The symbol shows it's looking for a constructor with parameters (model:guardrails:tools:instructions:), but the documentation still shows the simple (model:) constructor. Questions: Has the LanguageModelSession API changed since Beta 2? Should we now use the constructor with guardrails/tools/instructions parameters? Is this a known issue with recent betas? Are there updated code samples for the current API? Additional Context: This affects both basic SystemLanguageModel usage AND custom adapter loading. The same dyld symbol errors occur when trying to create SystemLanguageModel(adapter: adapter) as well. Any guidance on the correct API usage for current betas would be greatly appreciated. The documentation appears to be out of sync with the actual framework implementation.
1
0
681
Sep ’25
Foundational Model - Image as Input? Timeline
Hi all, I am interested in unlocking unique applications with the new foundational models. I have a few questions regarding the availability of the following features: Image Input: The update in June 2025 mentions "image" 44 times (https://machinelearning.apple.com/research/apple-foundation-models-2025-updates) - however I can't seem to find any information about having images as the input/prompt for the foundational models. When will this be available? I understand that there are existing Vision ML APIs, but I want image input into a multimodal on-device LLM (VLM) instead for features like "Which player is holding the ball in the image", etc (image understanding) Cloud Foundational Model - when will this be available? Thanks! Clement :)
1
0
578
Sep ’25
How can I give my documents access to Model Foundation
I would like to write a macOS application that uses on-device AI (FoundationModels). I don’t understand how to, practically, give it access to my documents, photos, or contacts and be able to ask it a question like: “Find the document that talks about this topic.” Do I need to manually retrieve the data and provide it in the form of a prompt? Or is FoundationModels capable of accessing it on its own? Thanks
1
0
604
Oct ’25
Apple on-device AI models
Hello, I am studying macOS26 Apple Intelligence features. I have created a basic swift program with Xcode. This program is sending prompts to FoundationModels.LanguageModelSession. It works fine but this model is not trained for programming or code completion. Xcode has an AI code completion feature. It is called "Predictive Code completion model". So, there are multiple on-device models on macOS26 ? Are there others ? Is there a way for me to send prompts to this "Predictive Code completion model" from my program ? Thanks
1
0
308
Oct ’25
Foundation Models inside of DeviceActivityReport?
Pretty much as per the title and I suspect I know the answer. Given that Foundation Models run on device, is it possible to use Foundation Models framework inside of a DeviceActivityReport? I've been tinkering with it, and all I get is errors and "Sandbox restrictions". Am I missing something? Seems like a missed trick to utilise on device AI/ML with other frameworks.
1
0
503
Oct ’25
Using #Preview with a PartialyGenerated model
I have an app that streams in data from the Foundation Model and I have a card that shows one of the outputs. I want my card to accept a partially generated model but I keep getting a nonsensical error. The error I get on line 59 is: Cannot convert value of type 'FrostDate.VegetableSuggestion.PartiallyGenerated' (aka 'FrostDate.VegetableSuggestion') to expected argument type 'FrostDate.VegetableSuggestion.PartiallyGenerated' Here is my card with preview: import SwiftUI import FoundationModels struct VegetableSuggestionCard: View { let vegetableSuggestion: VegetableSuggestion.PartiallyGenerated init(vegetableSuggestion: VegetableSuggestion.PartiallyGenerated) { self.vegetableSuggestion = vegetableSuggestion } var body: some View { VStack(alignment: .leading, spacing: 8) { if let name = vegetableSuggestion.vegetableName { Text(name) .font(.headline) .frame(maxWidth: .infinity, alignment: .leading) } if let startIndoors = vegetableSuggestion.startSeedsIndoors { Text("Start indoors: \(startIndoors)") .frame(maxWidth: .infinity, alignment: .leading) } if let startOutdoors = vegetableSuggestion.startSeedsOutdoors { Text("Start outdoors: \(startOutdoors)") .frame(maxWidth: .infinity, alignment: .leading) } if let transplant = vegetableSuggestion.transplantSeedlingsOutdoors { Text("Transplant: \(transplant)") .frame(maxWidth: .infinity, alignment: .leading) } if let tips = vegetableSuggestion.tips { Text("Tips: \(tips)") .foregroundStyle(.secondary) .frame(maxWidth: .infinity, alignment: .leading) } } .padding(16) .frame(maxWidth: .infinity, alignment: .leading) .background( RoundedRectangle(cornerRadius: 16, style: .continuous) .fill(.background) .overlay( RoundedRectangle(cornerRadius: 16, style: .continuous) .strokeBorder(.quaternary, lineWidth: 1) ) .shadow(color: Color.black.opacity(0.05), radius: 6, x: 0, y: 2) ) } } #Preview("Vegetable Suggestion Card") { let sample = VegetableSuggestion.PartiallyGenerated( vegetableName: "Tomato", startSeedsIndoors: "6–8 weeks before last frost", startSeedsOutdoors: "After last frost when soil is warm", transplantSeedlingsOutdoors: "1–2 weeks after last frost", tips: "Harden off seedlings; provide full sun and consistent moisture." ) VegetableSuggestionCard(vegetableSuggestion: sample) .padding() .previewLayout(.sizeThatFits) }
1
0
105
Oct ’25
Foundation Models unavailable for millions of users due to device language restriction - Need per-app language override
Hi everyone, I'm developing an iOS app using Foundation Models and I've hit a critical limitation that I believe affects many developers and millions of users. The Issue Foundation Models requires the device system language to be one of the supported languages. If a user has their device set to an unsupported language (Catalan, Dutch, Swedish, Polish, Danish, Norwegian, Finnish, Czech, Hungarian, Greek, Romanian, and many others), SystemLanguageModel.isSupported returns false and the framework is completely unavailable. Why This Is Problematic Scenario: A Catalan user has their iPhone in Catalan (native language). They want to use an AI chat app in Spanish or English (languages they speak fluently). Current situation: ❌ Foundation Models: Completely unavailable ✅ OpenAI GPT-4: Works perfectly ✅ Anthropic Claude: Works perfectly ✅ Any cloud-based AI: Works perfectly The user must choose between: Keep device in Catalan → Cannot use Foundation Models at all Change entire device to Spanish → Can use Foundation Models but terrible UX Impact This affects: Millions of users in regions where unsupported languages are official Multilingual users who prefer their device in their native language but can comfortably interact with AI in English/Spanish Developers who cannot deploy Foundation Models-based apps in these markets Privacy-conscious users who are ironically forced to use cloud AI instead of on-device AI What We Need One of these solutions would solve the problem: Option 1: Per-app language override (preferred) // Proposed API let session = try await LanguageModelSession(preferredLanguage: "es-ES") Option 2: Faster rollout of additional languages (particularly EU languages) Option 3: Allow fallback to user-selected supported language when system language is unsupported Technical Details Current behavior: // Device in Catalan let isAvailable = SystemLanguageModel.isSupported // Returns false // No way to override or specify alternative language Why This Matters Apple Intelligence and Foundation Models are amazing for privacy and performance. But this language restriction makes the most privacy-focused AI solution less accessible than cloud alternatives. This seems contrary to Apple's values of accessibility and user choice. Questions for the Community Has anyone else encountered this limitation? Are there any workarounds I'm missing? Has anyone successfully filed feedback about this?(Please share FB number so we can reference it) Are there any sessions or labs where this has been discussed? Thanks for reading. I'd love to hear if others are facing this and how you're handling it.
1
1
432
Nov ’25
Defining instructions employing Content Tagging Model
Hello It seems the model Content Tagging doesn't obey when I define the type of tag I wish in the instructions parameters, always the output are the main topics. The unique form to get other type of tags like emotions is using Generable + Guided types. The documentation says it is recommended but not mandatory the use instructions. Maybe I'm setting wrongly the instructions but take a look in the attached snapshot. I copied the definition of tagging emotions from the official documentation. The upper example is employing generable and it works but in the example at the botton I set like instruction the same description of emotion and it doesn't work. I tried with other statements with more or less verbose and never output emotions. Could you provide a state using instruction where it works? Current version of model isn't working with instruction?
1
0
403
Oct ’25
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?
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?
1
0
318
Nov ’25
Feature Request: Allow Foundation Models in MessageFilter Extensions
I’d like to submit a feature request regarding the availability of Foundation Models in MessageFilter extensions. Background MessageFilter extensions play a critical role in protecting users from spam, phishing, and unwanted messages. With the introduction of Foundation Models and Apple Intelligence, Apple has provided powerful on-device natural language understanding capabilities that are highly aligned with the goals of MessageFilter. However, Foundation Models are currently unavailable in MessageFilter extensions. Why Foundation Models Are a Great Fit for MessageFilter Message filtering is fundamentally a natural language classification problem. Foundation Models would significantly improve: Detection of phishing and scam messages Classification of promotional vs transactional content Understanding intent, tone, and semantic context beyond keyword matching Adaptation to evolving scam patterns without server-side processing All of this can be done fully on-device, preserving user privacy and aligning with Apple’s privacy-first design principles. Current Limitations Today, MessageFilter extensions are limited to relatively simple heuristics or lightweight models. This often results in: Higher false positives Lower recall for sophisticated scam messages Increased development complexity to compensate for limited NLP capabilities Request Could Apple consider one of the following: Allowing Foundation Models to be used directly within MessageFilter extensions Providing a constrained or optimized Foundation Model API specifically designed for MessageFilter Enabling a supported mechanism for MessageFilter extensions to delegate inference to the containing app using Foundation Models Even limited access (e.g. short text only, strict execution limits) would be extremely valuable. Closing Foundation Models have the potential to significantly raise the quality and effectiveness of message filtering on Apple platforms while maintaining strong privacy guarantees. Supporting them in MessageFilter extensions would be a major improvement for both developers and users. Thank you for your consideration and for continuing to invest in on-device intelligence.
1
0
493
Jan ’26
Deterministic AI Safety Governor for iOS — Seeking Feedback on App Review Approach
I've built an iOS app with a novel approach to AI safety: a deterministic, pre-inference validation layer called Newton Engine. Instead of relying on the LLM to self-moderate, Newton validates every prompt BEFORE it reaches the model. It uses shape theory and semantic analysis to detect: • Corrosive frames (self-harm language patterns) • Logical contradictions (requests that undermine themselves) • Delegation attempts (asking AI to make human decisions) • Jailbreak patterns (prompt injection, role-play escapes) • Hallucination triggers (requests for fabricated citations) The system achieves a 96% adversarial catch rate across 847 test cases, with zero false positives on benign prompts. Key technical details: • Pure Swift/SwiftUI, no external dependencies • Runs entirely on-device (no server calls for validation) • Deterministic (same input always produces same output) • Auditable (full trace logging for every validation) I'm preparing to submit to the App Store and wanted to ask: Are there specific App Review guidelines I should reference for AI safety claims? Is there interest from Apple in deterministic governance layers for Apple Intelligence integration? Any recommendations for demonstrating safety compliance during review? The app is called Ada, and the engine is open source at: github.com/jaredlewiswechs/ada-newton Happy to share technical documentation or discuss the architecture with anyone interested. See: parcri.net
1
0
485
Jan ’26
Pre-inference AI Safety Governor for FoundationModels (Swift, On-Device)
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.
1
0
621
Jan ’26
LanguageModelSession with multiple tools and structured outpout
Hi, I'm using LanguageModelSession and giving it two different tools to query data from a local database. I'm wondering how I can have the session generate structured content as the response that includes data one or both tools (or no tool at all). Here is an example of what I'm trying to do: Let's say the app has access to a database that contains information about exercise and sleep data (this is just an analogy). There are two tools, GetExerciseData() and GetSleepData(). The user may then prompt something like, "how well did I sleep in November". I have this working so that it calls through to the right tool, which would return a SleepSummary. However, I can't figure out how to have the session return the right structured data. I can do this and get back good text data: let response = session.respond(to: userInput), but I believe I want to do something like: let response = session.respond(to: trimmed, generating: <SomeStructure?>) Sometimes the model I run one tool or the other, or both tools, or no tool at all. Any help of what the right way to go about this would be much appreciated. Most of the example I found have to do with 1 tool.
1
0
645
Jan ’26
Image understanding to on-device model
I can’t seem to find a way to include an image when prompting the new on-device model in Xcode, even though Apple explicitly states that the model was trained and tested with image data (https://machinelearning.apple.com/research/apple-foundation-models-2025-updates). Has anyone managed to get this working, or are VLM-style capabilities simply not exposed yet?
1
0
435
Jan ’26
Handling exceedingContextWindowSizeError
Reading all the docs(1) I was under the impression that handling this error is well managed... Until I hit it and found out that the recommended handling options hide a crucial fact: in the catch block you can not do anything?! It's too late - everything is lost, no way to recover... All the docs mislead me that I can apply the Transcript trick in the catch block until I realised, that there is nothing there !!! This article here(2) enlightened me on the handling of this problem, but I must say (and the author as well) - this is a hack! So my questions: is there really no way to handle this exception properly? if not, can we have the most important information - the count of the context exposed through the official API (at least the known ones)? https://developer.apple.com/documentation/Technotes/tn3193-managing-the-on-device-foundation-model-s-context-window#Handle-the-exceeding-context-window-size-error-elegantly https://zats.io/blog/making-the-most-of-apple-foundation-models-context-window/
1
0
82
5d