---
title: "macOS 27 Golden Gate: The Intel Era is Over, AI Takes Center Stage, but with Strict Limitations"
description: "At WWDC 2026, Apple officially buried Intel support in macOS 27 Golden Gate 🚫💻. The system now runs only on Apple Silicon, and new AI features require a minimum of 12 GB of RAM and M3 chips. Find out how Siri learned to see the screen and change passwords for you 🤖✨"
date: 2026-06-10T08:16:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/macos-27-golden-gate-end-of-intel-era-and-new-ai-features
tags: []
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# macOS 27 Golden Gate: The Intel Era is Over, AI Takes Center Stage, but with Strict Limitations

![MacBook on a wooden desk with blank screen — symbolizing macOS 27 Golden Gate’s shift from Intel to Apple Silicon and AI-centric era with strict limitations](https://xab.info/media/2026/06/10/macos-27-golden-gate-otkaz-ot-intel-i-novye-funktsii-ii/macos-27-golden-gate-otkaz-ot-intel-i-novye-funktsii-ii-1.webp)

At the WWDC 2026 conference, Apple took a decisive step towards the future by unveiling macOS 27 Golden Gate. This update marked a turning point in the company's history: it not only signified the final abandonment of Intel processors but also radically changed the approach to integrating artificial intelligence into the user's daily workflow.

### The End of the Intel Era and New System Requirements

The most significant announcement was the official discontinuation of support for Mac computers based on Intel chips. Starting with version 27, the operating system will run exclusively on Apple Silicon proprietary processors. This decision allowed developers to completely abandon outdated legacy code, promising a substantial performance boost even on devices six years old, such as laptops with the M1 chip.

However, the joy of system acceleration is overshadowed by strict "hardware" requirements for new features. To access the full capabilities of AI, users must have at least 12 GB of RAM. This limitation effectively cuts off even basic models from new technologies, including the fresh MacBook Neo.

Furthermore, Apple introduced a tiered capability system based on processor generation. For example, the Siri voice personalization and customization feature is now available only on computers with the M3 chip or newer.

### Apple Intelligence: From Search to Visual Analysis

The main feature of Golden Gate is the deep integration of Apple Intelligence. The assistant has ceased to be just a voice command and has transformed into a full-fledged conversational partner, embedded directly into the Spotlight menu and a separate application. Now, Siri can understand context: it can find photos by a specific date, extract a link from a two-week-old conversation, or write a draft email on its own.

Particular attention deserves the Visual Intelligence feature. AI now literally "sees" everything happening on the Mac screen, analyzing visual content in real-time.

### Intelligent App Updates

The philosophy of AI permeates all proprietary system utilities:

    - **Safari:** The browser has learned to create extensions using AI, automatically group tabs, and monitor web pages.

    - **Passwords:** The password manager gained the ability to automatically log into sites where user data was compromised, change them to secure ones, and update the system database.

    - **Shortcuts:** The process of creating automations has been completely simplified. There is no longer a need to manually assemble chains of actions — simply describe the desired result in text (e.g., "set an alarm every evening depending on the first event in tomorrow's calendar").

    - **Image Playground:** The image generation tool has learned to create photorealistic images. Daily limits apply for users, which can be expanded with an iCloud+ subscription.

### Interface and Security

Apple also listened to criticism regarding design. Following complaints about poor readability in macOS 26 Tahoe, the new version of Liquid Glass introduced a special slider to adjust the transparency and shades of windows. Developers unified the proportions of application windows and made app icons sharper.

An important update was the overhaul of the Screen Time tool. It is now focused on increasing children's safety while using the computer, offering more advanced control tools.