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The tech giant has faced considerable backlash regarding recurring inaccurate news notifications.
Technology company Apple has said that in the coming weeks it will update its AI news feature after a series of incorrect AI news notifications, seemingly from the BBC’s own site, prompted a complaint from the broadcaster.
On Friday (3 January), Apple’s AI summarised a number of notifications from the BBC app, generating content that incorrectly stated Luke Littler had won the PDC World Darts Championship, despite the contest having only just gotten underway. Additionally, Apple’s AI generator issued false claims that Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal had made an announcement regarding his sexuality.
This is not the first complaint issued against Apple’s technology. Previously, journalist advocacy group, Reporters Without Borders, called for a halt to the Apple Intelligence news feature, stating “the automated production of false information attributed to a media outlet is a blow to the outlet’s credibility and a danger to the public’s right to reliable information on current affairs”.
Launched in the UK in December 2024, Apple Intelligence was designed to give users an easy to read round-up of trending news alerts, however, within days the app circulated a false story suggesting that Luigi Mangione, the main suspect in the murder of the UnitedHealthcare CEO, had died by suicide.
In its first acknowledgment of the ongoing issue, this past Monday (6 January) an Apple spokesperson said that the company was working on a software change that would “further clarify” when notifications are summaries that have been generated by the Apple Intelligence system.
A spokesperson for 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.”
In October of 2024, Apple announced that, despite concerns it would not be made available due to wider issues with the Digital Markets Act, users could expect Apple Intelligence features to roll out to iPhone and iPad users in the EU from April 2025.
In regards to its plans to amend the feature, SiliconRepublic.com reached out to Apple for a statement, however, the company declined to comment.
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