Apple's new App Review Guidelines clamp down on apps sharing personal data with 'third-party AI' | TechCrunch

"Before the revised language, the guideline known as rule 5.1.2(i) included language around disclosure and obtaining user consent for data sharing, noting that apps could not "use, transmit or share" someone's personal data without their permission. This rule served as part of Apple's compliance with data privacy regulations like the EU's GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), California's Consumer Privacy Act, and others, which ensure that users have more control over how their data is collected and shared."

"The newly revised guideline adds the following sentence (emphasis ours): You must clearly disclose where personal data will be shared with third parties, including with third-party AI, and obtain explicit permission before doing so. This change could impact apps that intend to use AI systems to collect or process information about their users, perhaps to personalize their apps or provide certain functionality."

"Apple on Thursday introduced a new set of App Review Guidelines for developers, which now specifically state that apps must disclose and obtain users' permission before sharing personal data with third-party AI. The change comes ahead of the iPhone maker's plan to introduce its own AI-upgraded version of Siri in 2026. That update will see Apple's digital assistant offer users the ability to take actions across apps using Siri commands, and will be powered, in part, by Google's Gemini technology, according to a recent Bloomberg report."

Apple updated its App Review Guidelines to require apps to disclose and obtain explicit user permission before sharing personal data with third-party AI. The change precedes Apple's planned 2026 AI-upgraded Siri, which will enable actions across apps and will be partly powered by Google's Gemini. The update explicitly names AI companies as needing to comply. The prior rule 5.1.2(i) already required consent for data sharing to align with GDPR and CCPA. The new language mandates clear disclosure of third-party data sharing and may affect apps using AI for personalization or functionality, while enforcement details and the scope of "AI" remain unclear.

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