I just finished my Swift article and now I’m releasing another post about the Apple ecosystem. However, that doesn’t mean I’ll be focusing on the Apple ecosystem the whole time; I just wanted to provide an overview of Apple’s AI privacy methods.
Apple’s private cloud computing isn’t something new, but it’s also not an old technology, it’s been around for about 1 year! Now, I can finally analyze it and explain it in my own terms, because I know what it is and what to expect in the future.
Apple Intelligence in WWDC25
Apple released the Foundation Models framework at WWDC 2025, and I briefly explained what it is. While the main focus is on AI security, I want to discuss how this framework enhances privacy.
Thanks to the Foundation Models framework, developers now have direct access to the on-device foundation model at the core of Apple Intelligence. This enables the creation of smart, private experiences that work without internet connectivity.
If your data doesn’t leave your phone, it’s the most secure way to keep it (as long as your phone is safe). So, this framework is not only beneficial for developers by providing easy access to Apple Intelligence, but it’s also great for customers who prioritize privacy.
Private Cloud Compute – When Your Data Leaves Your phone
It’s impossible to perform all AI operations on a phone without some drawbacks. Your phone can overheat or the battery can drain quickly due to the intensive processing. So, yes, some tasks do need additional help from Apple servers, but that also means your data needs to be sent to another platform.
This is where Private Cloud Compute (PCC) comes in. PCC extends the industry-leading security and privacy of Apple devices into the cloud, ensuring that personal user data sent to the cloud isn’t accessible to anyone other than the user, not even Apple.
We all know it’s really hard to maintain data privacy while using AI models. So, how does Apple keep it private? There are several steps involved, so let’s dive in.
Stateless Computation
The system processes user data statelessly, meaning it erases the data immediately after fulfilling a request. No trace of the data remains in the system.
No Privileged Access
Apple has intentionally avoided including any remote debugging or shell mechanisms on the PCC nodes. This limits the attack surface and prevents any unauthorized access to the system. The PCC software is tightly controlled, with only authorized code being able to run.
Target Diffusion
To prevent an attacker from targeting specific users, Apple employs target diffusion. This ensures that the user’s request metadata doesn’t include personally identifiable information (PII). Requests are routed to a subset of nodes without revealing any user-specific data, limiting any attacker’s ability to exploit the system.
Encrypted Requests and Attestation
The system encrypts user requests for specific PCC nodes. When it accepts these requests, it authenticates and verifies the software on the nodes using public keys. This ensures that only trusted and authorized nodes handle your data.
Hardened Hardware
To defend against physical attacks, Apple strengthens its supply chain by inspecting, validating, and certifying the hardware before use. This process ensures that any attempt to manipulate the device hardware gets detected.
What To Expect In Future?
Of course, one of the most important things is that other companies should embrace this type of technology and enhance their AI models with privacy in mind.
Samsung’s Knox Vault is also a great example of AI privacy improvement.
It isolates sensitive information like biometrics, passwords, and encryption keys into a dedicated secure enclave within the device. This means even if the device is compromised, attackers can’t access this protected data.
Knox Vault uses both hardware and software security layers to ensure that user data stays protected, with AI playing a role in monitoring for suspicious activity and adapting to potential threats.
It’s a strong example of how companies like Apple, Samsung, and others are integrating AI with privacy-focused technologies to ensure that personal data remains safe and secure.
Conclusion
Yeah, I actually added Samsung’s Knox Vault to avoid being accused of being a fanboy and to show that Apple isn’t the only company focused on privacy.
Not gonna lie, both systems are great for privacy, but it seems Apple’s Private Cloud Compute is a bit ahead of other privacy solutions at the moment.
AI and security are both rapidly evolving fields, and it’s hard to keep up with all the trends. I may have missed some new features or tools, but I believe this provides a solid brief explanation of the key AI privacy features out there.