Technology

Building AI apps for iOS just got trickier.

Apple’s infamous walled garden just got a little taller — especially if you’re building with AI.

In a move catching developers off guard, Apple has begun cracking down on AI-powered apps that mimic native iOS features. Several app makers have reported rejections during the App Store review process, citing vague rules about “confusing user experience” and “duplicating iOS functionality.”

What does that mean in plain English? If your app looks or behaves too much like Siri, Spotlight search, or even Apple’s own Notes or Calendar tools — and it’s powered by AI — it’s likely getting the boot.

This pushback comes just weeks after Apple unveiled its own AI platform, Apple Intelligence, powered in part by OpenAI. The company is clearly tightening control over how third-party AI tools appear and behave inside its ecosystem — especially as it prepares for a fall launch of AI features in iOS 18.

Developers say the new enforcement feels sudden and inconsistent. Some were told to “revise core functionality” without clear guidance. Others point out that Apple’s own upcoming features borrow heavily from existing third-party ideas — including AI writing assistants and summarizers.

This isn’t the first time Apple has flexed its muscles against innovation that threatens to blur the line between its software and others’. But the timing — right as Apple stakes its claim in the generative AI space — is raising eyebrows.