CUPERTINO, Calif. — Apple has announced the temporary suspension of a problematic feature that utilized artificial intelligence to provide inaccurate news alerts to certain iPhone users. This decision was made public on Thursday in conjunction with the beta testing of the upcoming software update, iOS 18.3.
The beta version, currently accessible to a limited audience of iPhone users and developers, typically leads to broader updates available to the general public several weeks later. Within this testing version, Apple indicated that it is disabling the AI-generated news and entertainment feature as it investigates the underlying issues that have led to the technology producing misleading information, commonly referred to within the tech community as “hallucinations.” Similar testing updates are also taking place for Apple’s iPad and Mac computers.
Though this suspension might be temporary, it highlights a setback in Apple’s ambitions to integrate AI across its product lineup, including the iPhone. This initiative gained significant momentum last September with the launch of the iPhone 16, which features the necessary chip for technology that Apple has branded as “Apple Intelligence.” The high-end iPhone 15 models released in 2023 also contain this advanced AI processor.
Media outlets, including the BBC, had raised concerns regarding the faulty news summary feature after Apple disseminated alerts that inaccurately represented their articles. One notable error occurred last month when Apple’s AI system incorrectly reported that “Luigi Mangione shoots himself,” attributing the statement to BBC News, despite no such incident having taken place concerning the individual implicated in the fatal shooting of the CEO of UnitedHealthcare.
Last year, Google faced a similar predicament, needing to revise its search engine after AI-generated summaries presented misleading information, including some bizarre responses that garnered substantial attention across social media platforms. As AI technology continues to evolve, both Apple and Google are encountering challenges in ensuring the accuracy of automated content generation.
