Apple Testing New 'Live Notes' Feature at Genius Bar - MacRumors

What the report says

MacRumors reported on July 19, 2026, that Apple is trying out an AI-based feature called “Live Notes” for some Genius Bar repair appointments. The report, attributed to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, says the tool can create transcripts of conversations between Apple Store service staff and customers during support sessions.

According to the report, the test is not automatic for every appointment. It is described as opt-in, with both the customer and the Apple employee needing to agree before the feature is used. Gurman said the resulting transcript is placed on the employee’s iPad as part of the repair-session record.

The stated purpose is to reduce the amount of manual note-taking required during appointments, allowing staff to spend more attention on the customer interaction. The article does not identify the specific stores involved, the scale of the test, or when Apple might expand the feature more broadly.

The development matters because it shows Apple applying AI tools to in-store service workflows, not only consumer-facing software features. If adopted more widely, automated transcripts could make repair records more complete and help employees manage appointments more efficiently, while also raising practical questions around consent, privacy, and how long such records are retained. Those policy details were not included in the MacRumors report.