Apple testing ‘Live Notes’ AI system to record Genius Bar sessions: report

Apple is testing a new 'Live Notes' AI system at some retail locations that records and transcribes Genius Bar sessions, according to a Bloomberg report by Mark Gurman. The system requires opt-in from both employees and customers, and transcripts are saved to Apple's internal system, though employees can edit them and managers do not receive the recordings. Some Apple retail employees have expressed concerns that the recordings could eventually be used for coaching or performance reviews.

Apple is reportedly piloting a new “Live Notes” system at some of its retail locations. This system uses AI to record and transcribe Genius Bar sessions with customers, according to a new report. In the latest edition of his Power On newsletter https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2026-07-19/why-apple-s-openai-lawsuit-doesn-t-mention-jony-ive-ai-recording-at-genius-bar-mrrv4mix?srnd=undefined , Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports that the Live Notes system lets Apple Store employees “record sessions with an artificial intelligence tool that transcribes and summarizes their conversations with customers.” That transcript is then saved to Apple’s internal Genius Bar system. The goal, according to Bloomberg , is to let employees focus on customer service rather than taking notes. Live Notes reportedly requires both the employee and customer to opt in before a Genius Bar session is recorded. Still, Apple retail employees are said to be concerned about how this Live Notes system could eventually be used: The test has nevertheless sparked concern among some Apple retail employees, who worry that recordings could eventually be used to coach workers or factor into performance reviews. But the company has indicated that the recordings themselves won’t be saved and managers don’t receive the transcripts. Employees also can edit both the transcript and summary before saving them to Apple’s internal Genius Bar system. Moreover, it’s meant to be an opt-in program. As of right now, Live Notes is not mandatory. Bloomberg says it’s “unclear” whether Apple plans to expand the system to more stores, make it mandatory, or change how transcripts are used. Chance’s favorites: AirPods Pro 3: $199 Reg. $249 https://amzn.to/4uUqAwW Bring wireless CarPlay to any car https://amzn.to/3RBXa7T “Apple: The First 50 Years” by David Pogue https://amzn.to/3RZWqtm Logitech MX Master 4 https://amzn.to/4adTvDF Belkin 3-in-1 MagSafe Charger https://amzn.to/4fpVjgj Beats Woven USB-C Charging Cables https://amzn.to/4ekuxou Follow Chance : Threads https://www.threads.net/@ChanceHMiller , Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/chancemiller.me , Instagram https://www.instagram.com/chancehmiller/ , and Mastodon https://mastodon.social/@ChanceHMiller . FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More. https://9to5mac.com/about/ affiliate our homepage http://9to5mac.com/ for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on exclusive stories https://9to5mac.com/feature/exclusive/ , reviews https://9to5mac.com/guides/review/ , how-tos https://9to5mac.com/guides/how-to/ , and subscribe to our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/9to5mac