Apple Inc. has revived negotiations with generative artificial intelligence pioneer OpenAI about integrating the startup’s cutting-edge language models to enable new AI-powered capabilities in the next version of its mobile operating system iOS, according to a Bloomberg report.
The tech giants have rekindled talks around the terms and specifics of how OpenAI’s generative AI technology could be leveraged across new features slated for iOS 18 and future iPhone releases, people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg. However, the discussions remain exploratory with no final decision made by Apple.
The renewed engagement comes as Apple evaluates potential AI partners to enhance its product offerings amid the proliferation of viral AI applications like ChatGPT. Last month, reports surfaced that Apple was also in discussions with Google to potentially license the search giant’s Gemini chatbot model for integration into iPhones.
As the AI battleground intensifies, Apple finds itself weighing overtures from multiple tech titans vying to have their generative AI systems adopted as foundational platforms for new consumer experiences. The company is keeping its options open and could theoretically reach agreements with both OpenAI and Google, or pivot to another provider altogether.
While the Silicon Valley stalwart has traditionally favored developing core AI capabilities in-house, the meteoric rise of companies like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google’s DeepMind has prompted Apple to consider partnering as a means to rapidly integrate the latest breakthroughs. Generative AI models that can engage in open-ended dialogue, answer queries, and even generate content could supercharge Siri and enable entirely new AI-powered utilities on future iPhones and across Apple’s product ecosystem.
As it works to define its generative AI strategy, Apple finds itself in a delicate balancing act between delivering innovative features powered by cutting-edge models while mitigating ethical risks around data privacy, secure encryption, and intellectual property. Its ultimate decisions on AI partnerships for iOS 18 and beyond will be closely watched, given the company’s status as an industry trendsetter with over a billion active iPhones globally.
