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Apple’s latest update, iOS 18.3, introduces significant changes to notification summaries on iPhones, following a series of concerns raised by news outlets, including the BBC. The company has temporarily disabled its notification summaries feature for news and entertainment apps in response to a controversy over AI-generated inaccuracies.
Disabling Notification Summaries for News and Entertainment Apps
The change, which was first noticed in the iOS 18.3 beta, follows an incident in December where Apple’s AI system incorrectly summarized a headline from the BBC. The headline falsely stated that Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal had “come out as gay,” a claim that was both factually inaccurate and misleading. In reality, Nadal is married to Maria Francisca Perello. Apple has since moved to disable the notification summary feature for news and entertainment apps until further notice. According to the company, users will be notified when the feature is re-enabled.
New Features in iOS 18.3
In addition to changes to notification summaries, iOS 18.3 also enables Apple Intelligence by default on certain Apple devices. This includes iPhone 15 Pro and later models, iPads and Macs with Apple Silicon M1 chips or later, and the latest iPad mini. Apple Intelligence is designed to simplify stacks of notifications into concise summaries, but it has faced criticism for generating misleading or false information in certain cases.
The update also brings several new features aimed at enhancing user experience. One such feature is the ability to use Visual Intelligence to add events to the Calendar app directly from a poster or flyer. Additionally, iOS 18.3 introduces a new function that allows users to easily identify plants and animals using their device’s camera.
iOS 18.3 Comes With Changes to Notification Summary Formatting
To further improve clarity, iOS 18.3 updates the way notification summaries appear. These AI-generated summaries will now be shown in italicized text, helping users differentiate them from standard notifications. The update also includes new settings, allowing users to manage notification summaries directly from their lock screen.
Alongside iOS 18.3, Apple is also rolling out macOS 15.3. This update brings support for Genmoji, a new feature for creating personalized emoji, and includes similar changes to notification summaries as seen in the iPhone update.
Apple’s Response to AI Controversy
The move to disable AI-generated notification summaries for news and entertainment apps marks one of the first notable instances of Apple rolling back an AI feature after it generated controversy and inaccurate results. Apple’s decision follows in the footsteps of other tech giants like Google and Microsoft, which have been forced to recall AI features that produced harmful or incorrect content.
The BBC’s spokesperson expressed relief over the decision. “We’re pleased that Apple has listened to our concerns and is pausing the summarization feature for news,” a representative told CNBC.
How to Download iOS 18.3
To update your device to iOS 18.3, go to Settings > General > Software Update.
This latest update brings important improvements and fixes, but also highlights the ongoing challenges faced by tech companies in fine-tuning their AI systems to ensure they produce accurate and reliable information.
