Victory! You Can Now Exclude Apps from Siri AI

Why it matters

Apple's latest iOS update adds an "Exclude Apps" setting that lets users prevent Siri AI from accessing the contents of specific apps, a change that responds directly to privacy concerns about AI features processing encrypted content in the cloud. The source, which had campaigned for such a control, notes that the new setting is far clearer than the confusing toggles available at launch, though excluding an app disables features like message reading and "onscreen awareness" — a trade-off the author views as evidence the control actually works. Users can still revert to Siri Classic if they prefer. The article also compares the situation on Android, where Gemini's controls are opt-in but less intuitive, and where features like notification reading and screen context can still expose app content unless separately disabled. The author argues Google should offer per-app controls and that Apple should add an on-device-only AI option, while calling on all operating systems to adopt similar protections.