Apple again snubs AI in its ‘iPhone App of the Year’ finalists

On Monday, Apple revealed the finalists for its prestigious “iPhone App of the Year” award, once again highlighting its preference for more traditional iOS apps while downplaying the role of AI in the mobile app ecosystem. Like last year, the 2024 list of top iPhone finalists includes apps focused on specific tasks, such as professional video recording (Kino), custom running plans (Runna), and travel organization (Tripsy). Notably, AI-powered apps like ChatGPT, Anthropic's Claude, Microsoft Copilot, and those that create AI-generated photos or videos were excluded from the running for iPhone App of the Year.

Considering ChatGPT’s widespread popularity and its recent collaboration with Apple to enhance Siri, it’s surprising that it wasn’t recognized by Apple’s editorial team, despite the app’s notable updates in 2024, including an Advanced Voice Mode for AI interactions and a web search feature designed to compete with Google.

Although both Apple and Google regularly feature ChatGPT in their editorial recommendations, neither company named it an overall winner last year, even though the app became the fastest-growing consumer application in history, reaching 100 million users shortly after its 2023 launch. Google, for example, selected the party-planning app Partiful as its app of the year this time.

Despite ChatGPT’s exclusion, a few AI-driven apps did make it onto Apple’s 2024 finalist lists, such as the iPad and Mac App of the Year categories. However, AI apps were only occasionally recognized across the 45 finalists spanning apps and games. Moises, an app offering AI-powered music practice tools, was nominated alongside Bluey: Let’s Play and Procreate Dreams for iPad App of the Year. Adobe Lightroom, which includes AI features, was nominated for Mac App of the Year alongside OmniFocus 4 and Shapr 3D.

Among the 12 Cultural Impact finalists, only one app—language-learning tool EF Hello—was described as AI-enhanced. While other finalists like Pinterest likely use AI behind the scenes, their marketing does not highlight AI features to consumers.

Apple’s selection of finalists seems to favor apps that empower human creativity rather than those focused on AI automation. Many of the finalists are designed to help users achieve more with their devices—whether it’s for design, organization, filmmaking, creation, or play—without relying heavily on AI assistants. For example, Kino, a professional video app from the makers of Halide, aims to improve videography skills for all users, while other finalists help users harness the full productivity potential of Apple devices in creative fields.

This year, Apple also introduced the new Apple Vision Pro category, which will recognize both an app and a game winner.