Apple is facing growing calls to remove its controversial AI-powered news summarization feature, following reports of inaccurate and misleading alerts on the latest iPhone models.
The feature, which is designed to summarize breaking news notifications, has come under scrutiny for generating completely false claims. The BBC, which first raised concerns about the AI feature in December, reported that its journalism was misrepresented by the tool. Apple responded this week, stating that it was working to clarify that the summaries were AI-generated.
However, critics argue that the product, which is still in beta, is not ready for public use. Alan Rusbridger, former editor of The Guardian and a member of Meta’s Oversight Board, told the BBC that Apple must pull the feature, calling it “out of control” and a significant risk for spreading misinformation. He emphasized that trust in news is already fragile, and the introduction of such technology could further erode public confidence.
The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) also joined the chorus of criticism, urging Apple to act swiftly to prevent misleading the public. “At a time when access to accurate reporting has never been more important, the public must not be placed in a position of second-guessing the accuracy of news they receive,” said Laura Davison, the NUJ’s general secretary. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has similarly called for the AI feature to be taken offline, accusing Apple of insufficient action.
The controversy surrounding the AI tool intensified following a series of errors. In one instance, the AI falsely claimed that Luigi Mangione, accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, had shot himself. On another occasion, it inaccurately stated that Luke Littler had won the PDC World Darts Championship hours before the event, and falsely reported that tennis star Rafael Nadal had come out as gay.
The BBC, which complained to Apple in December, noted that these AI-generated summaries did not accurately reflect the original content and sometimes contradicted the news. “It is critical that Apple urgently addresses these issues as the accuracy of our news is essential in maintaining trust,” the BBC said in a statement.
Apple’s AI tool, which groups together and rewrites multiple app notifications into a single alert, was launched in December as part of the company’s broader suite of AI tools. The feature, available on iPhone 15 Pro models and above, as well as some iPads and Macs, has been criticized for its reliance on generative AI, which is still considered immature by many experts.
In response to the growing backlash, Apple stated that a software update would soon clarify when a summary was generated by Apple Intelligence. The company emphasized that users can opt out of receiving these summaries and are encouraged to report any issues.
Despite these assurances, critics argue that the technology is not ready for widespread use and poses a serious risk of misinformation.
