iOS 26 lets you make custom Genmoji with ChatGPT and emoji

a prompt for a stork image in chatgpt on an iphone

Apple's changes to images and Genmoji are aimed at spicing up your chats. Credit: Apple

Apple's new iPhone operating system could seriously change the way you use emoji and Genmoji.

The tech giant announced and previewed iOS 26 on Monday during its highly anticipated keynote address at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). There was lots of news: a total redesign, new Maps tools, and new spam-blocking tools, to name a few.

Tucked into that waterfall of news was a big change to Genmoji and emoji. In short: You'll soon have more ability to customize your Genmoji with ChatGPT and by combining emoji. The new iOS will allow users to "mix together emoji and combine them with descriptions to create something new," Apple wrote in a press release. Apple, for example, showed off what looked like an emoji sloth discovering a good idea...which, sure, OK.

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a sloth with a good idea lightbulb in a purple bubb,e

Credit: Apple

Apple also noted that iOS 26 will allow users to employ ChatGPT to customize their images and emoji. It showed, for instance, that in Image Playground users can make emoji (or images) stylized in different ways using the AI tool. An image of a beach ball, for instance, could be made to look like it was an oil painting.

beach ball emoji with different chatgpt style

Credit: Apple

These tools seemed to be aimed at spicing up your group chats. Gone are the days of a simple :) it would seem.

close-up of man's face

Associate Editor, Culture

Tim Marcin is an Associate Editor on the culture team at Mashable, where he mostly digs into the weird parts of the internet. You'll also see some coverage of memes, tech, sports, trends, and the occasional hot take. You can find him on Bluesky (sometimes), Instagram (infrequently), or eating Buffalo wings (as often as possible).

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