Apple is adding an AI assistant to Pages, Keynote and Numbers. It reads the open document and acts on your requests. This guide covers how to prepare files, word requests and check the results, and notes what Apple has not yet explained.
Gather what you need before starting
The Verge reports that Apple is bringing a conversational assistant to its three productivity apps. The assistant is built on AI models from both Apple and OpenAI. According to that report, it can understand the context of a document. In Keynote it can design, animate and refine slides. In Pages it can draft and restructure text. The full list of what it can do in Numbers was not part of the material available for this guide.
Several practical details are not yet known from the reporting. These include the release date, which devices and operating system versions are supported, whether a subscription or account is needed, and which languages and regions get it first. Check Apple’s own release notes before you plan any work around the feature.
Before you begin, have the following ready:
- A Mac, iPhone or iPad running the latest versions of Pages, Keynote and Numbers available to you.
- A document you are willing to experiment on. Use a copy, not the only version of an important file.
- A clear idea of the result you want, such as a shorter report, a tidier slide deck or a summary of a table.
- A few minutes to read Apple’s privacy information for the feature. The report says OpenAI models are involved, but it does not say how document content is handled between the two companies.
Update the apps and the operating system
Features like this usually arrive through software updates. Open the App Store and check for updates to Pages, Keynote and Numbers, then check for system updates in Settings or System Settings. If the assistant does not appear after updating, your device, region or language may not be supported yet. Do not assume your copy of the app is broken.
Duplicate the document you plan to edit
Make a copy before asking the assistant to change anything. In all three apps you can duplicate a file from the File menu, or from the file browser on iPhone and iPad. The apps also keep earlier versions of documents saved to iCloud, but a separate copy is easier to compare side by side. It also makes it easier to go back if a large restructure goes wrong.
Open the assistant from inside the document
The Verge’s report does not say exactly where the assistant sits in each app’s interface. Look for a new button in the toolbar, a new item in the Format or Edit menus, or a prompt panel that opens beside the document. If Apple publishes a support page for the feature, follow its steps instead of guessing. Open the assistant with the document you want to change already active, so that it works from that file.
Describe the goal and the audience
The assistant can read the document’s context, so you do not need to paste the content in again. You do need to say what you want and who it is for. Compare these two requests:
- Weak: “Make this better.”
- Stronger: “Shorten section two to about half its length for a non-technical reader, and keep the existing headings.”
In Keynote, mention the setting where you will present. A deck for a large screen needs different text density from one that will be read on a laptop. In Pages, say whether you want new text drafted or existing text reorganised. These are different tasks, and the report lists drafting and restructuring as separate abilities.
Ask for one change at a time
Break large jobs into steps. You could ask for the order of the sections to be changed first, then the wording to be tightened, then the formatting to be adjusted. Small requests make it easier to see what changed and to undo one step without losing the others. If the assistant changes something you did not ask for, say so plainly in your next request.
Review every change before keeping it
Read generated text in full. AI models can produce fluent sentences that contain errors, invented details or shifts in meaning. Check names, figures and dates against your original sources. In Keynote, play the deck through from start to finish, because animations and transitions that look fine on one slide can clash across a sequence. In Numbers, check any formulas or totals the assistant touches by working out a sample by hand.
Save and compare against the original
Once you are satisfied, save the edited version and compare it with the copy you made earlier. Keep the original until the document has been shared, presented or submitted, in case someone asks for something that the edits removed.
Avoid the mistakes people actually make
The most common mistake with document assistants is accepting output without reading it, especially when it looks polished. Another is giving vague instructions and then treating the result as the assistant’s judgement, rather than a guess at what was meant. People also tend to ask for too much at once, which produces sweeping changes that are hard to undo in parts.
A further mistake is putting sensitive material through a cloud-linked feature without first checking the privacy terms. Until Apple explains how the Apple and OpenAI models share document data, be careful with confidential contracts, medical records or personal data about other people. Finally, some users forget that their organisation may have rules on AI tools. Check those rules before using the assistant on work files.
Choose a different approach when the assistant is the wrong tool
The assistant is a poor fit when accuracy matters more than speed and you have no time to check its output, as with legal wording, regulated financial reports or published statistics. It is also the wrong choice when the content is confidential and the data handling has not been confirmed. Work that must follow a strict template set by someone else is another poor fit, because automatic redesign may break it.
For small, precise edits, the existing manual tools in the three apps are often quicker. Changing one number, fixing a typo or applying a saved style takes seconds by hand. And if your device or region does not support the feature yet, the standard templates and style tools remain fully usable.
Frequently asked questions
Which AI models does Apple’s assistant in Pages and Keynote use?
The Verge reports that the assistant in Pages, Keynote and Numbers is built on AI models from Apple and from OpenAI. The report does not say which tasks go to which model, or how requests are split between processing on the device and in the cloud. Apple’s own documentation is the place to check for those details once it is published.
Is the Pages and Keynote AI assistant free?
Pricing has not been confirmed in the reporting available for this guide. The Verge describes what the assistant does but gives no information on cost, subscriptions or account requirements. Pages, Keynote and Numbers themselves are free on Apple devices, but that does not guarantee every AI feature will be. Check Apple’s announcement or the App Store listing before relying on it.
What can the AI assistant do in Keynote?
According to The Verge, the assistant in Keynote can understand the context of a presentation and help design, animate and refine slides. In practice, that means you describe the change you want and the assistant applies it to the open deck. Review the result by playing the full presentation, because changes to individual slides can affect how the deck flows as a whole.
Is it safe to use the assistant on confidential documents?
That depends on how Apple handles document data. This has not been detailed in the reporting, which says only that models from both Apple and OpenAI are involved. Until Apple publishes clear privacy terms for the feature, avoid using it on confidential, regulated or personal material. If you work for an organisation, check its policy on AI tools first.
Sources and further reading
- The Verge: technology news report on the AI assistant coming to Pages, Keynote and Numbers.
- Apple Support: official user guides for Pages, Keynote and Numbers, including file duplication and version history.
- Apple privacy documentation: Apple’s published policies on how its AI features process user data.
- OpenAI: the company’s published information on how its models handle data from partner integrations.
Surfaced from the rss:verge signal “AI assistant in office apps”. AI-assisted draft, editorially reviewed.
