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.
At the same time, Apple is ensuring other apps aren’t leaking personal data to AI providers or other AI businesses.
What’s interesting about this particular update is not the requirements being described but that Apple has specifically called out AI companies as needing to come into compliance.
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. Apps that don’t follow the policy can be removed from the App Store.
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. It’s unclear how stringently Apple will enforce the rule, given that the term “AI” could include a variety of technologies — not just LLMs, but also things like machine learning.
The updated rule is one of several revisions to the App Review Guidelines out on Thursday. Other changes are focused on supporting Apple’s new Mini Apps Program, also announced today, as well as tweaks to rules involving creator apps, loan apps, and more.
One addition also added crypto exchanges to the list of apps that provide services in highly regulated fields.
