Apple has announced plans to update an AI feature on its latest devices after it issued inaccurate news alerts. Among the errors, the system falsely claimed that a man accused of killing a U.S. insurance executive had shot himself and that tennis star Rafael Nadal had come out as gay.
The company stated that the upcoming software update aims to clarify when notifications are summaries generated by its Apple Intelligence system. This move comes in response to growing concerns over the accuracy of AI-generated content.
The problem first came to light when the BBC filed a formal complaint last month. Users of Apple devices reported receiving notifications, labeled with the BBC logo, falsely stating that Luigi Mangione, accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, had taken his own life. In reality, Mangione is alive and currently in custody in Brooklyn. The errors have raised questions about the reliability of Apple’s AI-driven summarization tool.
Issues resurfaced last week when Apple’s AI system issued another set of false notifications. It wrongly summarized BBC alerts to state that Rafael Nadal had come out as gay and that Luke Littler had won the PDC World Darts Championship hours before the event began. The BBC expressed strong concerns, emphasizing that such inaccuracies contradict their original content and undermine trust in their reporting.
Apple introduced this AI feature as part of a suite of tools for its newer devices, including the iPhone 16, 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max, and select iPads and Macs. The feature, currently in beta, has been part of the company’s push to enhance user experiences through artificial intelligence. However, the recent errors highlight the potential pitfalls of automated content summarization, especially when trust in news accuracy is at stake.
In its response, Apple acknowledged the issues and highlighted its commitment to improving the feature through user feedback. A statement from the company reassured users that a software update would be released within weeks to improve the transparency of AI-generated summaries. Apple also encouraged users to report any concerns, signaling its intent to address these challenges proactively and regain trust in its AI-driven services.