A recent iOS update has sparked debate about Apple’s artificial intelligence features and their privacy implications. Security journalist Spencer Ackerman, known for his work on the NSA documents with The Guardian, raised concerns about default settings in iOS 18.1 and Apple Intelligence’s data handling practices.
While Ackerman worried about data being uploaded to cloud-based AI systems, particularly regarding secure communication apps, the controversial setting appears to be related to older Siri Suggestions functionality rather than the new Apple Intelligence features. However, experts note that Apple’s lack of clarity about which features process data on-device versus in the cloud has created confusion and trust issues among privacy-conscious users.