Apple has committed to addressing the bug in the iPhone’s automatic dictionary tool, which reportedly suggested “trump” when users said the word “racist.”
The glitch came to light through a viral Tiktok post, where the Speech-to-Text tool briefly displayed the word “Trump” instead of “racist,” sparking further discussion on social media.
An Apple spokesperson stated, “We are aware of the issue with speech recognition models used for dictation and are implementing fixes.”
The company attributed the bug to its tool displaying words indicating “speech duplicates” before identifying the “intended word,” which in this case included the “R” consonant.
The bug stirred controversy among conservative commentators in the US, who have criticized big tech firms for perceived political bias against right-wing individuals.
Some questioned Apple’s artificial intelligence capabilities, particularly following the company’s announcement of a $500 million investment in the US, which was seen as an effort to appeal to the Trump administration.
Apple revealed plans for significant AI investments, including establishing a large AI server factory in Texas and creating 20,000 R&D jobs nationwide over the next four years.
The AI announcement followed a reported meeting between Apple CEO Tim Cook and President Trump, amid concerns about potential tariffs on devices imported from China.
Apple had previously secured exemptions on tariffs during Trump’s first term, avoiding additional costs on its products.
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This is not the first time Apple has announced significant investments in the US economy during the Trump administration. In 2018, Apple pledged to contribute $350 billion to the US economy over five years.
Following Trump’s presidency and executive orders, several tech companies have reversed diversity, equity, and inclusion measures. Apple shareholders, however, recently voted for a proposal urging the removal of the company’s own DEI program.
Source: www.theguardian.com