Apple updates AI guidelines for Siri amid political scrutiny

Recent reporting based on internal documents reveals Apple updated its AI training guidelines in March 2025, changing how its models — including Siri — handle politically sensitive topics. The changes reportedly reclassified topics such as diversity, equity & inclusion (DEI), elections and vaccines as “controversial” and removed terms like “intolerance” and “systemic racism” from earlier drafts.

Apple has denied that the guideline updates represent a politically motivated shift to appease any politician, saying its Responsible AI Principles remain intact and that guidelines are regularly revised to improve safety and regional relevance.

Key points

• Guideline update: March 2025 internal documents show changes in how Apple labels and handles sensitive political topics.
• Language changes: Some DEI-related terms were removed and certain topics labeled “controversial.”
• Apple’s response: The company denies the changes reflect a political concession and emphasizes ongoing Responsible AI Principles.
• Siri upgrade: Apple is reportedly building a new AI-powered search/answer engine for Siri (internally called “World Knowledge Answers”) expected around 2026, which will use LLMs to provide summarized answers across sources.

Sources & further reading

• Politico — Apple teaching AI to adapt to Trump era
• AI Invest — Apple denies report on AI guideline changes
• AppleInsider — Coverage of guideline update and response

What do you think: should tech companies adjust AI behavior to political shifts, or should they keep strict, consistent standards? Share your thoughts below.