The company confirmed on Monday that it is working on a software update to “further clarify” when notifications are summaries generated by its Apple Intelligence system, instead of pausing the feature entirely, the BBC reported.
The move comes after a series of high-profile errors prompted criticism from users and media organizations. Last month, the BBC lodged a formal complaint after an AI-generated notification incorrectly reported that Luigi Mangione, accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, had shot himself. On Friday, Apple’s AI system also misrepresented notifications, claiming Luke Littler had won the PDC World Darts Championship before the event had started and that tennis star Rafael Nadal had announced he was gay.
These errors, which appear to originate from within app notifications, have raised concerns about the feature’s reliability. In a statement, the BBC said, “These AI summarisations by Apple do not reflect – and in some cases completely contradict – the original BBC content. It is critical that Apple urgently addresses these issues as the accuracy of our news is essential in maintaining trust.”
Apple acknowledged the complaints and said it is making improvements based on user feedback. A spokesperson stated, “A software update in the coming weeks will further clarify when the text being displayed is summarization provided by Apple Intelligence. We encourage users to report a concern if they view an unexpected notification summary.”
The feature, which condenses multiple recent app notifications into a single summary, was introduced in the UK in December. It is currently in beta and available on iPhone 16 models, iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max devices running iOS 18.1 or later, as well as select iPads and Macs. Apple emphasized that using the feature is optional.
Criticism has mounted as screenshots of erroneous AI summaries have gone viral. For instance, a ProPublica journalist highlighted a false Apple-generated alert suggesting the New York Times reported Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s arrest. While the BBC could not verify these claims, Reporters Without Borders has called for the feature’s suspension, stating that the inaccuracies demonstrate the immaturity of generative AI in producing reliable public information.
Apple’s missteps echo challenges faced by other tech giants, such as Google, whose AI-powered search summaries have also come under scrutiny for producing inconsistent results. While Apple and other companies aim to refine these tools, the incidents stress the risks of deploying generative AI technology prematurely.
