Apple solves broken news alerts by turning off the AI

Apple has released a new beta of iOS 18.3 and tacitly admitted that, yes, its AI-generated notification summaries need a bit more work.

As well as other tweaks to the platform, the update temporarily turns off News and Entertainment summaries, which will be welcomed by outlets like the BBC. The Beeb complained loudly when Apple Intelligence incorrectly summarized its stories.

It will also italicize text on the lock screen to make it easier to separate summaries from notifications. Additionally, it will warn users in the Settings app about potential errors and make it clearer that the function is still in beta. Users will also be able to disable notification summaries directly from the lock screen or Notification Center.

It’s a start, but the company could go a lot further. Perhaps an Apple icon could indicate when Apple Intelligence has intervened in matters. Or it could make the feature something users opt into rather than one they must opt out of.

A BBC spokesperson said: “We’re pleased that Apple has listened to our concerns and is pausing the summarization feature for news. We look forward to working with them constructively on next steps. Our priority is the accuracy of the news we deliver to audiences which is essential to building and maintaining trust.”

In December, an Apple Intelligence summary famously botched a BBC headline by claiming that Luigi Mangione, a man arrested over the murder of healthcare insurance CEO Brian Thomson, had shot himself. This was not true, and certainly not what the BBC had written. A source at the BBC told The Register that it caused jitters in the newsroom and the corporation was determined to show it was not at fault.

Apple plans to turn the summaries for News and Entertainment back on once it has made the feature more reliable. While the reputation of Apple Maps has improved, there is a risk that Apple Intelligence could stink up Cupertino if the feature remains a source of bad AI PR. ®