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Opting Into Training Siri AI and Apple Foundation Models

15 September 2026 at 21:55

A new section in the iOS 27 privacy policy shows that Apple has reversed its stance on using customers’ data to train its AI models. Previously, the company assured customers that it had no need for customer data, and would figure out how to make Siri AI work well without it.

Apple maintains that it “takes steps to ensure that personal data is not stored or used by Apple.” But as Heise points out, and Apple has said in the terms of service for a few years now, the audio material may be listened to by Apple employees after anonymization.

[…]

It also admits that data collected may be reviewed by “review personnel.” It is unclear if “review personnel” are Apple employees or a third-party company contracted to read conversation transcripts, as it has historically been.

Chance Miller:

Starting today, when a user enables Siri AI, they will see a setup screen asking whether they want to opt in to “improve Siri and Apple Intelligence,” with two options: “Share Audio and Text” or “Not Now.”

[…]

What’s important to note here is that nothing is changing about the type of data Apple collects if you opt in to this setting. What’s changing is that Apple will now use the data to train and refine its Foundation Models, as well as Siri and Dictation like before.

nunez:

iOS 26 had a toggle you could select to disable all Apple Intelligence features.

That toggle was removed for iOS 27. Every AI feature has to be turned off individually.

Previously: