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Apple disables AI news summary feature after a month of it getting facts wrong: Report

Examples of it getting facts wrong include it falsely claiming Pete Hegseth had been fired, Luigi Mangione shooting himself, and Donald Trump endorsing Tim Walz

Updated on: Jan 17, 2025, 10:58:57 IST
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Apple has temporarily disabled a news summarising feature of Apple Intelligence which brought the company under scrutiny for consistently butchering the facts, according to a report by The Washington Post.

The AI news summarising feature was originally intended to help users catch up quickly on content from their notifications and lock screens. (Reuters)
The AI news summarising feature was originally intended to help users catch up quickly on content from their notifications and lock screens. (Reuters)

Examples of it getting facts wrong include it falsely claiming Pete Hegseth had been fired and Luigi Mangione shot himself, according to the report. It even said that Donald Trump had endorsed Tim Walz for president.

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The feature was originally intended to help users catch up quickly on content from their notifications and lock screens.

It got disabled after Apple released a beta update for the software on Thursday, January 16, 2025.

Apple isn't alone in this. The entire episode marks yet another example of the struggles tech companies face when it comes to artificial intelligence (AI) 'hallucinating' or generating false facts.

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After all this, Google scaled down the feature by making it show up on lesser queries.

Apple meanwhile is working on improving the feature and will make it available again in a future update, according to the report.

This also comes after news organisations including the British Broadcasting Corp (BBC) formally asking Apple to take action.

Apple has also made other changes with the iOS 18.3 beta software update such as a clearer notice that notification summaries can produce unexpected results, and a new italicized style for summarized notifications which would differentiate it from standard notifications.

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Though this is the beta update, all iPhones which support Apple Intelligence will end up getting the update when iOS 18.3 gets a wider release.

 
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HT News Desk

Follow the latest breaking news, major developments and agenda-setting stories from India and around the world with the newsdesk at Hindustan Times. Operating round the clock, the desk brings together experienced editors, reporters and correspondents to deliver fast, accurate and contextual reporting across subjects that influence public policy, governance, business, society and international affairs. The HT News Desk covers politics, elections, government policies, the economy, business and markets, science and technology, the environment, law and order, infrastructure, education, climate issues and geopolitics, while closely tracking developments across states, institutions and global capitals. The team also leads coverage of major breaking news events, policy announcements, court proceedings, natural disasters, public emergencies and significant international developments. Reports published by the newsdesk are based on information gathered from reporters on the ground, official statements, government agencies, court records, regulatory filings, recognised institutions and other authoritative sources. Stories undergo editorial scrutiny and verification processes to ensure accuracy, fairness and relevance, and are updated as events evolve and additional information becomes available. Whether covering a key political decision in New Delhi, an economic policy shift affecting millions, a landmark court ruling or a major global event, the HT News Desk aims to provide readers with reliable, fact-based journalism that delivers not only the latest developments but also the context and analysis needed to understand their wider implications.

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