Let's break this down.
Is it worry or is it an unwillingness to do the work to understand something that is manifesting as worry? Worried about what exactly? Worry suggests an emotional reaction to the threat of harm. How, exactly, will you be harmed?
There have been a lot of artists in the news who have had their work stolen by Big Tech, modern software, and AI. (After Adobe went to its cloud-only model, and after reading other people's concerns and issues, I have decided to never use Adobe again.)
Yes, I have a lot to learn. Although with the fall of American Democracy, I have kind of been busy the last few years... ;-)
Few who identify things as "worries" "concerns" "red flags" or other emotional rather than reasoned reactions are.
I don't claim to be an expert on AI (yet), but I read enough to know there are legitimate concerns.
And to be frank, I don't have to understand things entirely to know if a potential risk exists.
I am not a chemist, but have enough sense to know that genetical modified foods and plastics are posing ENORMOUS health-risks to humans.
I do not have a Ph.D. in security, but I know that if you put your entire life into social media or your phone, eventually you will get burned.
Got it. Then people offering you links to Apple's or Adobe's public positions on these matters and where their training data comes from isn't going to ally your concerns, so I'm not certain what you're asking for or what we can offer.
I appreciate the links, and will read them.
But it's not a crime to be skeptical...
(And I must trust Apple enough to keep using their products - for now.)
The whole point—literally the only point—of owning an iPhone is to accept the ecosystem and all that it offers in terms of tight hardware, services, and software integration. There are cons to this approach, absolutely, but there are practical benefits to average users willing to set aside their concerns and accept the day-to-day benefits. The moment you are not able to set aside concerns or are raising concerns that are beyond the scope of what the ecosystem can address, then the iPhone is the wrong phone for you.
I'm just trying to stay ahead of the curve.
I will have to trust that - for now - my solution is as simple as TURNING OFF Apple AI on any new iPhones or any existing iPhones with iOS 18.1+ installed.
(I think the person that can build a competing neutal iPhone clone that allows you to install open-source software will be a very rich person some day!)
There is nobility in aligning with the open-source movement and its ideals, and I don't think anyone here would fault you for saying, "you know what, I'm out. I've done my homework, and I want predictable, structural control over my mobile device and how it operates, and am willing to invest the time and knowledge to do so." There are AOSP-based forks of Android that are fully open source and auditable. LineageOS comes to mind. They offer complete control over which modules and capabilities you wish to enable, understanding that you lose the integration that single-point-of-control systems like Apple offers.
Good to know, but I would still not trust hardware that is associated with Google! ;-)
We're back to the beginning. "paranoia" suggests a threat of immediate, mortal harm.
Without going too deep and getting flagged here, a lot of Americans have been "paranoid" about potential events that ultimately have manifested themselves and threatened out country and democracy (e.g. 911, January 6, etc.)
The way to avoid serious harm is to ask tough questions and anticipate...
Rather than asking open-ended questions that no one can answer, and presenting fears no one can address, perhaps you should identify the source of such an over-the-top reaction to what is, in the end, one software feature among many and not a particularly vital one at that.
There is a continent of research already discussing the dangers of AI - it's just a matter of *when* those threats become realities.
You sound like you are coming from a place of, "Corporate America can do no harm."
History shows that Big Tech has almost always made the wrong decisions for the public over the last 25 years.
Apple has staked a significant amount of its appeal and brand identity trying to address privacy and data security while still offering a largely closed-source, fully-integrated ecosystem. Your only choice is to either take those promises and self-audits at their word, or directly address your concerns quantitatively through alternative platforms.
I understand that. Trust is the core of all privacy and security. But things change, and trust needs to be repeatedly earned, not a one-and-done thing.
I will trust that the advice here of turning off Apple's AI is sufficient for my needs for now.
But I'd probably be much safer with a Brownie camera and a sun dial watch! *LOL*
