In brief
Apple responds to complaints over misinformation, temporarily disabling the feature as it works on improvements.
Apple has put a stop to a newly rolled-out artificial intelligence (AI) feature that has faced criticism for its consistent errors in summarizing news headlines. The tech giant was under significant pressure to withdraw the service, which had been sending notifications that appeared to originate from various news organizations' applications. "We are currently making upgrades and will release them in a future software update," stated an Apple spokesperson.Prominent media outlets, including the BBC, voiced concerns when an AI-generated alert incorrectly informed readers that Luigi Mangione, who is implicated in the death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, had taken his own life. Furthermore, it misrepresented headlines from major publications such as the New York Times and the Washington Post, according to feedback from journalists and users on social media platforms. Press associations had urged Apple to retract the feature, emphasizing that the technology was immature and contributing to misinformation, further eroding public trust in news reporting.Previously, Apple had only hinted at a future update designed to clarify the AI's role in generating these summaries, which users could opt into and was exclusive to the latest iPhone models. However, the decision has now been made to completely disable this functionality for news and entertainment applications. "With the latest beta software updates of iOS 18.3, iPadOS 18.3, and macOS Sequoia 15.3, Notification summaries for the News & Entertainment category will be temporarily unavailable," the spokesperson added.Following this decision, a BBC representative expressed satisfaction with Apple's response. "We appreciate that Apple has considered our feedback and is pausing the summarization feature for news. We are eager to collaborate on future improvements. Accuracy in news delivery is paramount to cultivating and sustaining audience trust," they remarked. Launched in the UK in December, the feature was designed to help users by compiling and streamlining multiple recent notifications into a singular alert for their lock screens.This pause comes at a time when Apple is under pressure to showcase its advancements in AI technology, as investors are keen for these developments to prompt a resurgence in demand for iPhones and related goods. Notably, the company's shares dipped over 4% on Thursday amid reports of declining sales in China.
