Apple Working on Plan to Allow AI Agent Apps on the App Store

[MacRumors]

Apple is looking into ways to better support apps that include AI agents and AI coding capabilities in the App Store, reports The Information. Apple is designing a system that would maintain its security and privacy standards while allowing for AI app features, but details on how the system will work are unavailable.

Apple started blocking updates for some popular vibe coding apps in March because those apps violated App Store rules that prohibit apps from executing code that alters their own functionality or that of other apps. Vibe coding apps let users build apps and websites with little to no coding experience, using AI agents and natural language prompts. Vibe coding has become popular, and Apple's rules have not been able to keep up.

Apps that include AI agents present similar problems for Apple. AI agents can autonomously complete complex actions and make mini apps using tools and capabilities that would not traditionally be supported under Apple's App Store rules. Apple will need to make changes to keep up with the software trends that developers and users want.

Apple wants to incorporate AI agents into the App Store while preventing some of the issues that people have run into with rogue AI agents deleting content and causing other problems.

As it works to prepare for future AI apps, Apple is also developing its own AI capabilities. Siri is set to get a major overhaul in iOS 27, making it smarter and better able to compete with Claude and ChatGPT. Apple has partnered with Google to use custom Gemini models to power Siri.

The Information says Apple has started contacting app developers to integrate app capabilities like booking flights and sending calendar invites into the new version of Siri and Apple Intelligence. Some developers are hesitant to work with Apple to integrate their apps into Siri because they are worried about providing new ways for Apple to collect commissions. Apple is telling some developers that it does not plan to charge commissions during the early stages of the partnership, but that fees are a possibility in the future. Apple has held talks with Baidu, Alibaba, and Tencent about Siri integration in iOS 27, but the companies do not want to end up paying fees to Apple.

Apple also plans to allow users to select from multiple chatbots to use with Siri, instead of limiting people to OpenAI's ChatGPT. AI models from companies like Anthropic or Google could be used for Image Playground and Writing Tools the way ChatGPT can be used today.

It is not clear if Apple plans to open up more of iOS to third-party chatbots, but OpenAI has reportedly been disappointed with Apple's limitations. ChatGPT can be used to generate images and text through the iOS integration, but it cannot access user emails or other personal information. Customers are also rarely using the functionality, according to The Information.

Apple's new version of Siri is expected to be unveiled at the WWDC keynote on June 8, and the plans that Apple has for agentic AI apps in the App Store could also be discussed at the same time.

Article Link: Apple Working on Plan to Allow AI Agent Apps on the App Store

 

[germanbeer007]

But I was told Apple is evil and wanted Siri to be the only solution so Apple wants it locked down.

 

[MrSnirf]

But I was told Apple is evil and wanted Siri to be the only solution so Apple wants it locked down.

This is why apple is preventing developers from doing it and trying to shoehorn Siri into it. Its money, its always about money.

The Information says Apple has started contacting app developers to integrate app capabilities like booking flights and sending calendar invites into the new version of Siri and Apple Intelligence. Some developers are hesitant to work with Apple to integrate their apps into Siri because they are worried about providing new ways for Apple to collect commissions. Apple is telling some developers that it does not plan to charge commissions during the early stages of the partnership, but that fees are a possibility in the future. Apple has held talks with Baidu, Alibaba, and Tencent about Siri integration in iOS 27, but the companies do not want to end up paying fees to Apple.

 

[germanbeer007]

Some developers are hesitant to work with Apple to integrate their apps into Siri because they are worried about providing new ways for Apple to collect commissions.

"they are worried"


My uncle is worried that Apple employees might be recording him while sitting on the toilet and bought a camera privacy cover.

That doesn't mean it's true.

 

[Ctrlos]

The iPhone 17 is the best selling phone on the planet.

It has zero AI features anyone cares about.

This should tell Apple everything they need to know about whether to bother.

 

[turbineseaplane]

How can this possibly work?

AI agents behavior and actions are barely controllable or predictable, even by the companies making them right now.

This feels like unleashing an insanely sprawling game of whack-a-mole.

 

[HouseLannister]

All I want is a functional digital assistant. Great, allow super apps that can vibe code other super apps. Put in all the extensions and voices and frameworks and intents. But I just want to ask Siri how much I owe the electric company and it can interpret that query, find that bill in my email, and tell me my balance (something Gemini has been doing for a year).

 

[thejadedmonkey]

I think the hardest part is going to prevent an agent from deleting things that are un-recoverable.

Think about contact cards. They used to be files with a .vcard extension, but over time the contacts app has morphed into a sort of database and now if you delete a contact, that contact card doesn't go into the recycling bin, it's just gone. How do you stop an AI agent from erroneously doing something like that, something that you can't recover from?

 

[turbineseaplane]

How do you stop an AI agent from erroneously doing something like that, something that you can't recover from?

Don’t use it…
That’s my technique at least 😂

 

[SnowPenguin]

The iPhone 17 is the best selling phone on the planet.

It has zero AI features anyone cares about.

This should tell Apple everything they need to know about whether to bother.

While not having AI may not be the reason it sold well. People are definitely tired of AI.

 

[SnowPenguin]

I think the hardest part is going to prevent an agent from deleting things that are un-recoverable.

Think about contact cards. They used to be files with a .vcard extension, but over time the contacts app has morphed into a sort of database and now if you delete a contact, that contact card doesn't go into the recycling bin, it's just gone. How do you stop an AI agent from erroneously doing something like that, something that you can't recover from?

I imagine changes made by AI to be reversible, or maybe limited. Or maybe Apple will release Time Machine on iPhone, I wonder.