Apple’s New Genius Bar AI Wants to Listen In (But You Can Say No)
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Apple is reportedly testing a new AI feature in Apple Stores that aims to make Genius Bar employees more efficient, but it also has some worried that the tool could be used against them.
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is testing a system that will use an unspecified AI tool — likely a custom one — to record conversations between Genius Bar employees and customers. The system, dubbed “Live Notes,” transcribes and summarizes the conversations, subsequently adding them to the employee’s iPad as part of the official record of the repair session.
“The goal is to save workers time and let them focus more on the customer, rather than taking notes throughout the appointment,” Gurman says. However, some retail employees have reportedly raised concerns that the recordings could be used to monitor employee performance, and even find their way into coaching sessions or formal assessments.
Fortunately, the new initiative aligns perfectly with Apple’s typical privacy stance, which isn’t too surprising. Both the employee and the customer must agree before a conversation is recorded, so the feature is entirely optional, and employees can presumably avoid asking the customer in the first place.
Apple has also reportedly informed participants in this test that the actual recordings are never saved — only transcribed into text — and the transcripts aren’t sent to managers. Additionally, employees can edit the exact transcript and the summary before it’s saved, further reinforcing the idea that this is merely a tool to cut down on the distraction of taking notes.
Nevertheless, some fear this could just be the start of a slippery slope. The feature is in early testing, which means Apple could eventually choose to expand it in ways that might lessen employee privacy, such as making participation mandatory or broadening how the transcripts are used.
Of course, Apple isn’t about to begin recording customers without their consent, so there’s a limit to how far the company can go. At most, it might require Genius Bar employees to ask every customer if it’s okay to use this tool — a request that a reasonably large percentage of customers will likely decline. Employees aside, it’s also unlikely that Apple wants to be too assertive in pushing this technology onto its customers.
Apple has dabbled with various AI tools for its support teams over the years, including an “Ask” tool for AppleCare support advisors and a built-in chatbot in its Apple Support app. However, this is the first we’ve heard of a system that would actually record interactions with customers.
It’s not clear how widespread this test is right now. Gurman describes it as a “pilot project,” in “some retail stores,” without naming any specific locations. Gurman’s sources aren’t even sure if Apple plans to expand the system at all. Still, don’t be surprised if you walk into an Apple Store at some point in the near future and the Genius Bar rep asks if they can record your interaction — but also feel perfectly free to say no if you’re uncomfortable with that idea. From the sound of this report, some Apple Store employees may even be happy for you to decline.
[The information provided in this article has NOT been confirmed by Apple and may be speculation. Provided details may not be factual. Take all rumors, tech or otherwise, with a grain of salt.]
