In a bold move poised to disrupt the tech industry, Elon Musk has delivered a strong ultimatum to Apple, threatening to ban its devices from his companies if Apple proceeds with integrating OpenAI technology into its operating system.
Apple recently revealed plans to embed OpenAI’s capabilities into iPhones, enabling Siri to delegate certain queries to ChatGPT, OpenAI’s advanced language model. This announcement has sparked harsh criticism from Musk, who called it an “unacceptable security violation.”
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“If Apple integrates OpenAI at the OS level, then Apple devices will be banned at my companies,” Musk proclaimed on X, the platform he owns, formerly known as Twitter. He further detailed stringent measures, stating, “Visitors will have to check their Apple devices at the door, where they will be stored in a Faraday cage,” effectively disabling their wireless capabilities.
This ban would impact Musk’s ventures, including high-profile companies like SpaceX and Tesla, as well as X.
Apple had previously disclosed that this integration would be rolled out later this year, with OpenAI confirming its technology would play a crucial role within the operating system. Both companies emphasized strong privacy protections, assuring users that requests sent to OpenAI wouldn’t be stored, and IP addresses would remain anonymous.
The integration promises significant enhancements to Siri’s functionality, allowing it to process queries, documents, and photos more effectively through ChatGPT. It will also introduce “Writing Tools,” enabling users to generate content or rephrase documents using AI-driven tools.
This development, part of Apple’s broader “Apple Intelligence” initiative, marks a deeper collaboration between Apple’s proprietary technologies and those of OpenAI. Notably, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman was present at Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference where these features were unveiled, although he did not appear in the formal presentations.
Tensions between Musk and OpenAI date back to his co-founding involvement in the company in 2015. Over time, Musk’s relationship with OpenAI has deteriorated, with accusations that the organization prioritizes profits over its original mission. Musk has since pursued legal action against OpenAI and Sam Altman, accusing them of straying from the ethical standards established at the company’s inception. OpenAI has firmly denied these allegations.
As this conflict unfolds, the tech world closely watches how Apple and OpenAI will respond to Musk’s ultimatum and what it means for the future of AI integration and corporate dynamics in Silicon Valley.
