Apple introduced a new set on Thursday App Review Guidelines for developers, which now clearly state that apps must disclose personal data and obtain user consent before sharing personal data with third-party AI.
The change comes ahead of the iPhone maker's plan to introduce its own version of Siri with improved artificial intelligence in 2026.
With this update, Apple's digital assistant will offer users the ability to perform actions in apps using Siri commands and will be partially powered by Google's Gemini technology, according to a recent study Bloomberg report.
At the same time, Apple is making sure other apps don't leak personal data to AI providers or other AI companies.
What's interesting about this particular update isn't the requirements it describes, but the fact that Apple specifically called out AI companies as needing adjustments.
Before the revised wording, the guideline, known as Principle 5.1.2(i), included language around disclosing and obtaining user consent to share data, noting that apps cannot “use, transmit, or share” someone's personal information without their consent. This policy was part of Apple's compliance with data protection regulations such as the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the California Consumer Privacy Act and others that give users more control over how their data is collected and shared. Apps that do not comply with these policies may be removed from the App Store.
The following sentence has been added in the newly revised guidelines (our emphasis):
You must clearly indicate where personal data will be shared with third parties, including third party artificial intelligence, and obtain explicit consent beforehand.
This change may impact applications that intend to use AI systems to collect or process information about their users, for example to personalize the application or provide certain features. It's unclear how rigorously Apple will enforce this rule, given that the term “artificial intelligence” can encompass a variety of technologies – not just LLM, but also things like machine learning.
The updated rule is one of several fixes to App Review Guidelines leave on Thursday. Other changes are focused on support for the new Apple Mini Apps program, also announced today, as well as policy tweaks for creator apps, rental apps, and more.
One addition also added cryptocurrency exchanges to the list of applications providing services in highly regulated fields.
