How On-Device AI Helps

Where AI helps you find things — and why none of it needs the internet.

2 min read · Updated September 2026

Where AI helps

Results that match by name appear first. AI then helps in these places, all on your Mac:

What	How it helps	What it needs
Similar meaning	Apple’s on-device language models match “taxes” to “Tax Documents”	Nothing extra
Reading questions	Apple Intelligence reads sentence-style searches, like who an email was from	A Mac with Apple Intelligence
Moments	Your calendar and recent activity help with “that file from the meeting”	Calendar or activity turned on
Local AI	A small optional model puts the best match first	Downloaded once, on Apple silicon

You see results before any AI step finishes. If AI then reorders them, the result you’ve already selected stays selected.

Tip: No search, file name or file content is ever sent to a server for AI.

Try it on your Mac.

Press ⌥ Space and type what you remember.