Overview
- Apple began asking users to opt in on Monday, September 14, 2026, when it released iOS 27 and related OS updates that surface a new Improve Siri & Apple Intelligence prompt during Siri AI setup.
- If a user opts in, Apple may collect Siri, Dictation, and Translate audio, computer-generated transcripts, request metadata, and related device information to improve Siri, Dictation, Translate and to train its foundation models.
- The choice appears during initial setup and lives in Settings > Privacy & Security > Analytics & Improvements so users can toggle it off later, but turning it off only stops storage and review of newly contributed opted-in audio and does not stop Apple from using computer-generated transcripts and aggregated analytics under its default practices.
- Apple says contributed records are tied to a random device-generated identifier that rotates multiple times per hour, that a subset of interactions may be reviewed by graders and that employees can listen to audio, and it may retain data up to two years or longer for items selected for review.
- The change reverses Apple’s earlier reliance on privacy-first techniques like differential privacy and reflects pressure to improve Siri’s AI, leaving open questions about Apple Watch continuous-listen data and whether reviewers include third-party contractors.