Apple's AI feature just can’t get it right

APPLE

Apple’s AI feature just can’t get it right

Apple’s AI-driven news feature has been criticised for creating inaccurate notifications, leading to calls for its removal.

The tool, available on iPhones with Apple Intelligence, has been accused of spreading false claims and misinformation.

The BBC first raised concerns in December after an AI summary claimed that Luigi Mangione, the man accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, had shot himself.

Last week, Apple's AI inaccurately summarised BBC notifications to claim that Luke Littler had won the PDC World Darts Championship hours before it began - and that the Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal had come out as gay, leading to fresh calls to pull the feature.

Apple responded this week, saying it would clarify that the summaries are AI-generated.

However, critics say this does not address the core issue.

Former Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger called for the feature to be withdrawn, describing it as "not ready" and warning it could harm trust in journalism.

The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) and Reporters Without Borders (RSF) have made similar calls.

Here’s what you should know:

• Inaccurate AI Summaries: Errors flagged include a false claim about a darts championship, claims that Rafael Nadal had come out as gay and more.

• Wider Issues: Media like the New York Times reported similar problems, such as false claims about political figures.

• Apple’s Response: The company plans updates to show when content is AI-generated but has not agreed to remove the feature.

Trust issues incoming

The BBC said such mistakes could reduce trust in news and urged Apple to fix the problem quickly.

The feature, introduced in December, is part of Apple’s AI tools and summarises notifications into a single alert.

A software update is coming to clarify when AI summaries are shown, but critics argue this shifts responsibility to users to verify accuracy.

Similar AI tools, like Google’s summaries, have also faced criticism for errors, highlighting broader challenges with generative AI tools.

This debate shows the importance of balancing AI innovation with accountability to prevent misinformation.

Apple AI would get an F in that journalism class if you ask me.