Apple is improving the App Store experience by introducing AI-powered review summaries in iOS 18.4.
Currently in beta, this feature uses Apple Intelligence, Apple's in-house AI engine, to summarize user reviews.
The summaries highlight users' common themes and sentiments by analyzing customer feedback through large language models (LLMs).
The update aims to help users quickly evaluate public opinion on an app without sifting through numerous individual reviews. The AI-generated summaries display just before the user reviews section and are updated weekly to reflect the most recent comments. However, Apple hasn't stated how many reviews are required for an app to obtain an AI-generated summary.
Initially, the feature will be rolled out in English for App Store listings in the U.S., with plans to expand to other languages and locations. This is consistent with Apple's overall approach of integrating AI-driven innovations throughout the ecosystem, resulting in a more seamless and informed user experience.
While AI summaries can help users locate information and make better decisions, some are concerned about their potential impact. Some fear unscrupulous developers could exploit the system by creating false reviews to manipulate the summaries. This issue is already prevalent in online marketplaces, and AI-generated summaries could unintentionally amplify the problem if not monitored properly.
To address mistakes or misleading summaries, Apple allows users and developers to report faulty AI-generated summaries. Users can indicate books by long-pressing on a summary, while developers could report them using App Store Connect. This feedback system contributes to the trustworthiness of review summaries and ensures fair representation of user sentiment.
Apple isn't alone in its AI-driven approach. In 2023, Amazon adopted a similar AI-powered review summary, and Google has also included AI-generated summaries in services like Google Maps. With iOS 18.4, Apple continues its push into AI-powered features, offering users a more intelligent and efficient App Store experience.
iOS 18.4 is expected to be released in April. It will include improvements such as new Control Center options for Siri, additional Apple Intelligence-supported languages, and Visual Intelligence for the iPhone 15 Pro.