Apple AI is sending misleading push notifications about sensitive stories like Gisele Pelicot’s mass rape trial, Britain’s grooming gang scandal and a prison officer filmed having sex with an inmate.
Concerns have now been raised with Apple by multiple news organisations over the AI summary feature, which is available on iPhones with Apple Intelligence.
The feature “must be revoked”, the National Union of Journalists told Sky News, as the “inaccurate news summaries shared to audiences through Apple Intelligence demonstrate the feature is not fit for purpose”.
The feature uses artificial intelligence to summarise notifications “so you can scan them for key details”, according to Apple.
However, the AI has been incorrectly summarising news stories from newsrooms like the BBC, Sky News and the Telegraph and creating misleading and inaccurate headlines.
In one example created for a Sky News story, the feature incorrectly suggested safeguarding minister Jess Phillips called for a new inquiry into Britain’s grooming gangs.
This was incorrect.
The original headline was: “Jess Phillips tells Sky News there could be a new national inquiry into grooming gangs if victims ask for one”.
The wider story about grooming gangs was sensitive and controversial, with Elon Musk attacking the MP and Sir Keir Starmer for not holding a national inquiry.
In another example of a sensitive story being inaccurately summarised, Apple’s AI said mass rape victim Gisele “defended her convictions”.
The original headline read: “Gisele Pelicot says she went to court ‘for my children and grandchildren‘ after convictions in mass rape trial”.
Gisele Pelicot was the victim of rape by more than 50 men, after her ex-husband drugged, raped and advertised her on the internet. Her rapists have been sentenced to more than 400 years in prison.
A third example was the recent news about a prison officer being jailed for 15 months after being filmed having sex with a prisoner summarised as “prison officer filmed having sex with inmate”.
The summarised headline missed the new element of the story, which was the officer had been jailed.
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Sky News has now raised concerns with Apple about the summaries, over worries that the feature could erode trust in the news and the organisation’s reputation.
The BBC also previously complained to the tech giant after the feature inaccurately told readers that darts player Luke Littler had won the PDC World Championship – before he played in the final.
“These AI summarisations by Apple do not reflect – and in some cases completely contradict – the original BBC content,” a BBC spokesperson told Sky News.
“It is critical that Apple urgently addresses these issues as the accuracy of our news is essential in maintaining trust.”
The NUJ’s general secretary Laura Davison said: “With each story inaccurately shared, Apple positions itself amid actors spreading harmful misinformation, condemned by all who recognise the importance of ethical and credible journalism.
“There have now been multiple examples of these errors and at a time of polarisation amid audiences on highly sensitive news stories dominating the media, the editorial integrity and reputation of journalists and outlets should not be weakened in this manner.
“Doing so only risks the erosion of public trust and confidence in news,” she said.
In another recent example, the summary told Telegraph readers the prime minister had changed his stance on farmer inheritance tax and was now backing farmers.
Apple appeared to confuse the headline “Blow to Starmer as supermarket giant backs farmers over inheritance tax raid”.
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Instead, it summarised the headline to “Starmer backs farmers over inheritance tax raid”.
The Telegraph did not respond to a request for comment.
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When approached for comment, Apple sent Sky News a link to a BBC article on the topic where it said it was working to clarify that summaries were AI-generated.
However, Sky News suggested it still has concerns that the way summaries are presented by Apple AI carry strong implications they have originated from Sky News.
