Apple is facing criticism after its AI-powered notification feature, Apple Intelligence, falsely attributed a shocking headline to the BBC, claiming, “Luigi Mangione shoots himself.” The misleading alert suggested that Mangione, the suspect in the high-profile murder of healthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York, had taken his own life. In reality, Mangione, 26, remains in custody in Pennsylvania, awaiting extradition to New York.
The BBC, whose name was falsely linked to the headline, has raised concerns with Apple. “BBC News is the most trusted news media in the world,” a spokesperson for the broadcaster said. “It is essential to us that our audiences can trust any information or journalism published in our name, and that includes notifications.”
Apple has declined to comment on the controversy.
AI-generated summaries under scrutiny
The erroneous notification is not an isolated incident. Apple Intelligence, launched in the UK earlier this week, uses artificial intelligence to summarize and group notifications but has been criticized for its inaccuracies.
The New York Times faced a similar issue when the tool inaccurately summarized a report, leading to an alert that read, “Netanyahu arrested.” The headline misrepresented a story about an International Criminal Court warrant for the Israeli Prime Minister, sparking further concerns about the reliability of the feature.
Prof. Petros Iosifidis, a media policy expert at City University, London, called the incident “embarrassing” for Apple. “This demonstrates the risks of releasing technology that isn’t fully ready. There is a real danger of spreading disinformation,” he said.
Broader AI challenges
Apple Intelligence, available on select devices running iOS 18.1 or later, was introduced to help users prioritize notifications. However, its limitations have drawn comparisons to previous AI blunders, such as Google’s AI-generated search suggestions earlier this year, which advised users to eat rocks or use “non-toxic glue” for pizza.
The BBC and other publishers are now questioning Apple’s accountability in managing the fallout from such errors. With AI playing an increasingly prominent role in news delivery, the incident underscores the need for more robust safeguards to prevent misinformation and protect public trust in journalism.