Russet 1.2 expands offline on-device AI with games, health data and automations

Russet, the offline AI app built to run on Apple Intelligence on iPhone, iPad and Mac, has added several notable features while keeping its core promise: all processing stays local to the device. The 1.2 update brings playable mini‑games, access to on‑device health data, and new automation capabilities — useful additions for users who want AI helpers without cloud upload.

The update keeps Russet’s privacy-first approach: according to the developer, neither text nor personal data are sent to external servers. That makes the app attractive if you want AI assistance that uses your device’s data (like health metrics) without sharing it off‑device. The changes also underline the growing capability of on‑device AI powered by Apple Intelligence.

What’s new in 1.2

• Mini‑games: light interactive experiences inside the app for quick entertainment or learning prompts.
• Health data access: Russet can reportedly read on‑device health metrics to provide personalized responses or recommendations (local only).
• Automations: new tools to trigger actions or workflows on the device, potentially integrating with Shortcuts or system services.

Why the local model matters

On‑device processing reduces privacy risk and latency because requests don’t travel to remote servers. However, local models depend on device compute and may have different capabilities than large cloud models. That tradeoff is increasingly acceptable as Apple Intelligence and local ML improve.

Practical considerations

• Device & OS requirements: Russet’s features rely on Apple Intelligence support, so you’ll need a compatible iPhone, iPad or Mac and the required OS versions.
• Privacy advantages: health and personal data stay on your device; still review permissions and settings before enabling features that read Health data or trigger automations.
• Battery & performance: on‑device ML can be compute‑intensive; expect some impact on battery life depending on usage.

Want to learn more about Apple Intelligence and on‑device ML? See Apple’s overview here: Apple Intelligence.

Discussion: Would you prefer an on‑device AI like Russet for handling health info and automations, or do you favor cloud‑based assistants for their extra power? What tradeoffs matter most to you (privacy, accuracy, features)?