Apple Pilots AI Live Notes for Genius Bar Appointments

Apple Inc. is piloting an AI-powered note-taking system called Live Notes at a limited number of retail stores. The tool records and transcribes conversations between Genius Bar technicians and customers, automatically generating summaries that are stored in the internal record of the repair session on the employee's iPad.

Company officials state the program aims to reduce manual note-taking, enabling staff to focus more on customer assistance. The system is currently opt-in for both parties, and Apple asserts that raw audio recordings are not saved and that managers lack access to the transcripts. Employees retain the ability to review and edit transcripts and summaries before they are finalized in the internal system.

Despite these safeguards, some retail employees have expressed concerns that the data could eventually be used for employee monitoring or performance evaluations. This initiative is part of a broader internal AI push that includes Enchante, a brainstorming assistant, and Enterprise Assistant, a centralized knowledge hub. The pilot follows previous privacy issues for the company, including a $95 million settlement involving contractors who graded Siri recordings. It remains unclear if Apple plans to expand the program or make its use mandatory.