Alex Omenye
Apple has announced a major step in its AI strategy by integrating OpenAI’s ChatGPT into iPhones, revealed at the Worldwide Developers Conference on Monday.
This move introduces Apple Intelligence features, allowing users to summarize text and generate personalized content such as animations. Alongside this, Apple also rolled out new versions of its operating systems for the iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
The integration of ChatGPT will be available later this year, with more AI features to follow. Apple assured that the chatbot would be free to access and that users’ information would remain private and not be logged.
Apple CEO Tim Cook expressed confidence in Apple Intelligence, highlighting its potential to revolutionize user interactions with Apple products. “Our unique approach combines generative AI with a user’s personal context to deliver truly helpful intelligence. And it can access that information in a completely private and secure way to help users do the things that matter most to them. This is AI as only Apple can deliver it, and we can’t wait for users to experience what it can do,” Cook said.
Craig Federighi, Apple’s Senior Vice President, stated that these features would be available to users through a beta test later this year, with some capabilities rolling out in 2025.
The partnership with OpenAI, which had been anticipated, will allow Apple customers to access ChatGPT via the Siri digital assistant at no extra cost.
OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman said, “We’re excited to partner with Apple to bring ChatGPT to their users in a new way. Apple shares our commitment to safety and innovation, and this partnership aligns with OpenAI’s mission to make advanced AI accessible to everyone. Together with Apple, we’re making it easier for people to benefit from what AI can offer.”
OpenAI confirmed that Apple is integrating ChatGPT into iOS, iPadOS, and macOS experiences. This will enable users to utilize ChatGPT’s capabilities, including image and document understanding. Siri will also be able to leverage ChatGPT’s intelligence to provide answers directly to users.
“Apple users are asked before any questions are sent to ChatGPT, along with any documents or photos, and Siri then presents the answer directly. Additionally, ChatGPT will be available in Apple’s systemwide Writing Tools, to help users generate content for anything they are writing about. Users can also tap into ChatGPT image tools to generate images in a wide variety of styles to complement what they are writing,” OpenAI stated.
Apple initially led in AI with the launch of Siri in 2011 but was soon overtaken by Google Assistant and Amazon’s Alexa. The AI landscape evolved further with the arrival of ChatGPT at the end of 2022, leading to new services from Google, Microsoft, and Meta.
Samsung, Apple’s biggest smartphone rival, also integrated Google AI features into its devices earlier this year. With this new integration, Apple’s CEO Tim Cook aims to reestablish the iPhone maker as a leader in AI, amid a broader sales slump.
