OpenAI formed a partnership to load its artificial intelligence (AI) model ChatGPT onto Apple's iPhone, but it is now reportedly considering a lawsuit against Apple.
OpenAI judged that Apple fell short in efforts such as integrating ChatGPT's features into devices like the iPhone and is reviewing legal action, Bloomberg reported on the 14th, citing sources.
In June 2024, Apple introduced its own AI system "Apple Intelligence" and added a feature that lets Siri, the iPhone voice assistant, use ChatGPT to answer. Expectations were high for cooperation between the two companies because the move would supplement Siri's shortcomings—long seen as lagging in AI performance—and OpenAI could draw iPhone users into its own service.
However, OpenAI believes it has not achieved the results it expected. It had hoped ChatGPT would be more deeply integrated into Apple's operating systems and made easily accessible to users, but the actual scope of implementation is limited. It is not easy to invoke ChatGPT through Siri, and even when the consolidation succeeds, users receive answers far shorter and simpler than those provided in the ChatGPT app.
OpenAI believes this approach hurt its brand reputation. It also reportedly harbors dissatisfaction that, although it expected to generate subscription revenue on the order of several billion dollars a year through the agreement with Apple, the actual outcome fell short.
An OpenAI executive said, "We did everything we could from a product standpoint," adding, "Apple did not, and did not even make a good-faith effort." The person noted that Apple was reluctant to specify the exact implementation direction during negotiations, saying, "Apple said, 'OpenAI should have faith and trust us.'"
The relationship between the two companies has changed markedly compared with when they partnered two years ago. Apple has selected Google's AI model Gemini as its default AI model and plans to expand AI invocation through Siri to other models, including ChatGPT.
OpenAI, meanwhile, has also signaled competition with Apple in the hardware market by acquiring io, the startup of Jony Ive, an iconic figure in Apple design. OpenAI Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Sam Altman also told The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) late last year that competition would unfold between OpenAI and Apple.
However, an OpenAI executive said that, from the start, the cooperation with Apple was not an exclusive deal, so Apple's adoption of other AI models is not the reason for reviewing legal action.
According to sources, OpenAI has not yet decided whether to take actual legal action against Apple, and even if it files suit, it is expected to happen after the lawsuit brought by Tesla Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Elon Musk is concluded.