The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) has also urged Apple to act swiftly
Apple is under growing pressure to withdraw its controversial artificial intelligence (AI) feature that has been accused of generating inaccurate news alerts on its latest devices. The feature, designed to summarise breaking news notifications, has faced backlash for occasionally inventing entirely false claims.
The first raised concerns in December, pointing out that Apple’s AI had misrepresented its journalism. However, Apple only responded this week, stating it is working to make it clear that the summaries are AI-generated.
Alan Rusbridger, former editor of The Guardian and a member of Meta’s Oversight Board, has called for the feature to be removed entirely. Rusbridger said the technology posed a significant risk of spreading misinformation. “Trust in news is low enough already without giant American corporations coming in and using it as a kind of test product,” he remarked, adding that the feature is “clearly not ready.”
The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) has also urged Apple to act swiftly. “At a time where 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 NUJ General Secretary Laura Davison. Similarly, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) reiterated its demand for the feature to be taken offline, arguing that Apple’s response to the issue has been insufficient.
Errors Undermine Credibility
Apple’s AI-generated summaries have been criticised for producing glaring errors. Last month, the BBC reported an incident where the AI falsely claimed that Luigi Mangione, accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, had shot himself. Other errors include summarising a BBC notification to suggest that Luke Littler had won the PDC World Darts Championship hours before the event started and incorrectly stating that tennis star Rafael Nadal had come out as gay.
“These AI summarisations by Apple do not reflect – and in some cases completely contradict – the original BBC content,” the broadcaster said in a statement. “It is critical that Apple urgently addresses these issues as the accuracy of our news is essential in maintaining trust.”
Other news organisations have faced similar problems. In November, a ProPublica journalist highlighted that Apple’s AI had incorrectly summarised *New York Times* alerts, including a fabricated claim about the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
RSF’s Vincent Berthier criticised Apple’s planned update, which will inform users when a notification is AI-generated. “It just transfers the responsibility to users, who – in an already confusing information landscape – will be expected to check if information is true or not,” he said.
Apple Defends Feature
In a statement issued on Monday, Apple said its AI-powered notification summaries are still in beta and optional for users. It added that a software update in the coming weeks would provide clearer disclaimers when the text is generated by AI. “We encourage users to report a concern if they view an unexpected notification summary,” Apple said.
Apple’s AI tools, including the summary feature, were introduced in December as part of its broader suite of generative AI capabilities. They are available on the iPhone 16 models, iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, and some iPads and Macs running iOS 18.1 or later.
Broader Issues With Generative AI
Apple is not the only company grappling with challenges in deploying generative AI tools. Google’s AI overview feature, which summarises search results, faced criticism last year for producing erratic responses. Google defended its tool, describing the issues as “isolated examples.”
The growing reliance on AI for generating content has amplified concerns about misinformation and the potential for AI to undermine trust in news. While the technology promises to enhance user experience, its limitations highlight the need for rigorous oversight and continued development to ensure accuracy.
For now, Apple faces mounting scrutiny to address these shortcomings and restore confidence in its AI-driven features.
