Apple gives Pages, Keynote and Numbers a built-in AI assistant

Apple has added an AI feature called Intelligent Assistant to its office apps Pages (word processing), Keynote (presentations) and Numbers (spreadsheets). The news was reported on October 22, 2026, and is part of update 15.4.1 for iPhone and iPad.

What can it do?

In Pages, according to 9to5Mac, the assistant can write drafts, edit and organize a document based on plain-language descriptions, change the tone of the text, and create images and shapes. It can also search for current information and use it in the document.

In Keynote, it can build presentations, create slides, presenter notes and images, and add animations. It can also refine a presentation you have already made and look up information on a topic.

In Numbers, it can create formulas, tables and chart suggestions, and find insights in data. According to 9to5Mac, it can also search for data and incorporate it.

Requirements and price

The assistant is rolling out as a beta and only in US English. It requires a device that supports Apple Intelligence and iOS 27 or iPadOS 27 or later.

The feature is tied to a subscription to Apple Creator Studio. In the US, it costs $12.99 a month or $129 a year. Basic creation and editing of documents is still free. Subscribers also get new templates in Pages and Numbers, new themes in Keynote and curated videos.

Other news and caveats

Keynote now also supports the .keyx file format (Interchange Format), which can be used to import and export presentations between different apps.

The Mac version is awaiting an update (version 15.4). The sources do not say when the feature will arrive in other languages or in countries outside the US.

The writer at 9to5Mac did not see the assistant in the updated apps themselves. That may suggest the feature will only be activated later from Apple's servers.

The price has drawn criticism from at least one reader. In a comment on 9to5Mac, Tim L writes that the features sound useful but are not worth $12.99 a month, and that he is annoyed that iWork is bundled with Apple's image and video editing suite.