Apple accelerates software security updates amid rising AI-driven hacking risk

US-based tech giant Apple is accelerating the rollout of software updates to strengthen user security as artificial intelligence (AI) makes it easier for cybercriminals to develop hacking tools, the company said in a statement, according to reports.

Reports suggested that the iPhone maker said it is moving ahead with a series of software updates that would previously have been bundled into a major iOS release, making them available to users earlier than in previous update cycles.

The decision indicated the need to shorten the time between the public disclosure of security fixes and their deployment to users, as AI is reducing the window available to attackers to exploit known software vulnerabilities.

Traditionally, Apple has released many security fixes as part of broader iOS version updates.

During the testing period before a major release, developers and beta users evaluate the software to identify and resolve bugs before it reaches the wider public.

The evolving cybersecurity landscape has prompted the company to revise this approach by pushing out security-related updates sooner instead of waiting for the next full operating system release, Apple said.

The company further said there is currently no evidence that any of the newly patched vulnerabilities have been actively exploited.

Also, it believes reducing the time taken to deliver security fixes is becoming increasingly important as AI continues to accelerate the development of malicious cyber tools.

Separately, Apple had raised prices for select MacBook and iPad models amid surging memory costs and rising AI-driven demand for semiconductors, forcing manufacturers to reassess their pricing strategies.

The price increase comes after Apple indicated that it could no longer fully absorb rising component costs, particularly for memory and storage chips, which have witnessed sharp price increases due to strong demand from artificial intelligence data centres and cloud computing providers.

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