Apple Suspends AI News Following Misinformation Complaints
The iPhone parent suspended its Apple AI news summary feature following criticism over repeated errors and false information, questioning the tool’s reliability in summarizing content.
The Apple misinformation fiasco surrounding the false claims that generated criticism led news organizations to complain about the accuracy of the AI-generated news.
Apple AI Misinformation
Apple’s AI generated news summaries revealed severe inaccuracies, such as falsely reporting that Luigi Mangione, accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, had shot himself, as noticed by the BBC news. AI generated news and summaries from well-known sources like the New York Times and Washington Post were also flagged for their inaccuracy.
In response, the Big Tech giant decided to temporarily halt the Apple AI news feature for news and entertainment apps.
“With the latest beta software releases of iOS 18.3, iPadOS 18.3, and macOS Sequoia 15.3, Notification summaries for the News & Entertainment category will be temporarily unavailable,” said Apple’s spokesperson.
The iOS developer also mentioned that for future implications, improvements and edits will be made to avoid such flaws.
“We’re pleased that Apple has listened to our concerns and is pausing the summarization feature for news,” according to a BBC spokesperson.
Apple’s Big AI News
The Apple AI news feature, which rolled out to users in the UK in December, had aimed at simplifying the user experience by combining several app notifications.
The weak performance of Apple AI news publishers only increased concerns about the spread of misinformation and erosion of trust in news sources.
BBC news welcomed Apple’s decision to take a step back, saying “we look forward to working with them constructively on next steps. Our priority is the accuracy of the news we deliver to audiences which is essential to building and maintaining trust” a BBC spokesperson said.
Though at first Apple undermined those concerns, promising only to add clarity to the summaries about where AI was involved, the company now faces wider scrutiny of its AI work. It said the decision to pause the feature reflects ongoing pressure on ensuring the responsible deployment of AI.
Apple’s stock dropped, attributed to an underwhelming iPhone sale, followed by Meta’s Chief Zuckerberg throwing shade at the iPhone parent.
According to Counterpoint Research, Apple’s iPhone sales dropped by 2% in 2024, with its market share dropping to 18% from 19% previously, noting that global smartphone sales grew by 4% – this has put Apple behind Samsung.
As the debate over AI generated news continues, the way Apple handles this issue could influence how other tech companies approach the use of AI in news distribution in the future.
Inside Telecom provides you with an extensive list of content covering all aspects of the tech industry. Keep an eye on our Tech sections to stay informed and up-to-date with our daily articles.