Apple has faced significant challenges with its use of AI-generated news summaries in the News app featured in the iOS 18.3 update. The difficulties arose from the generative AI tool's tendency to "hallucinate," leading to the dissemination of misinformation and inaccuracies, as reported by Computerworld.com on January 22, 2025. Users had expressed dissatisfaction with the quality of the summaries, which prompted Apple into action only after receiving a formal complaint from BBC News. The BBC highlighted substantial errors in the summaries, which were particularly damaging.
Among the numerous inaccuracies, one notable incident involved a misrepresentation of a BBC headline concerning Luigi Mangione, who had been charged with the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. The AI tool erroneously stated that Mangione had shot himself, which was incorrect. Additionally, the tool misreported that Luke Littler had won the PDC World Darts Championship hours before the event even commenced and suggested that Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal had publicly come out as gay, both of which were false claims.
The AI-driven summaries also produced other misleading statements, inaccurately asserting that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had been arrested, that Fox News host Pete Hegseth had been dismissed, and that Trump’s tariffs were responsible for inflation before the former President's return to office. This instance highlights a growing trend in the mishandling of factual data by automated information delivery systems.
Apple's decision to incorporate generative AI in its app met with swift consequences, raising questions about the reliability of such technology in conveying accurate news. This issue is compounded by similar experiences from other companies attempting to use AI for information dissemination at scale. For instance, Microsoft Start’s travel guide for Ottawa mistakenly listed the Ottawa Food Bank as a “tourist hotspot,” recommending it be visited on “an empty stomach.”
The ongoing issues with AI-generated content suggest a troubling trajectory as organisations increasingly deploy these technologies. Industry watchmen foresee a growing prevalence of misinformation in digital platforms, emphasising the necessity for careful implementation and oversight of AI-driven tools within business practices.
Source: Noah Wire Services