Apple is taking emojis to a whole new level, introducing a new “Genmoji” feature that allows iPhone users to create their own emojis using artificial intelligence.

The new feature, announced in June as part of a suite of Apple Intelligence and Apple AI features, will be available starting December 11th.

Unlike other apps that create custom emojis, Apple’s “Genmoji” uses generative AI to create the new emoji type. The new feature will be available for iOS 18.2 on iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Pro and later models. It will also be available with iPadOS 18.2 on iPad models with A17 or M1 chips or newer.

How does “Genmoji” work?

To use “Genmoji,” an iPhone user needs to go to their emoji keyboard and tap on the “Create New Emoji” option.

The user can then enter a description of their desired emoji and the custom emoji will be generated. For example, if you type “A cat who is an astronaut,” a “Genmoji” of an astronaut cat will immediately appear.

What special features does the “Genmoji” have?

A unique feature of “Genmoji” is that a user can create custom emojis from photos in their photo library, including photos of themselves, friends or family members.

Are there any restrictions for “Genmoji”?

For the “Genmoji” feature, Apple said there would be safeguards against nudity, blood and violence. If someone tries to create a “Genmoji” with forbidden descriptions, they will receive a message saying the emoji cannot be created.

According to Apple, all created “Genmojis” are only created and saved on a local iPhone and do not have to be sent to a cloud to be generated.