Apple’s new partnership with OpenAI brings ChatGPT to Siri

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Apple has announced a partnership with OpenAI, the makers of the wildly popular ChatGPT.

At its WWDC event, Apple revealed it’s integrating ChatGPT into its iOS 18 software, set to launch this fall, as well as iPadOS and macOS .

Siri, Apple’s voice assistant launched back in 2011, is getting a major AI-infused upgrade. When you ask Siri for meal ideas based on ingredients you have, for example, it will suggest connecting with ChatGPT.

Before sharing your request, Siri will ask for permission and display responses with a “Check important info for mistakes” warning. Apple’s system will work with photos, documents, presentations, and PDFs, always asking to share information.

The best part? You’ll get access to ChatGPT for free, no account creation needed, says OpenAI in a press release announcing its partnership with the up and coming large language model.

Apple’s Craig Federighi emphasized that requests and info won’t be logged, and you’re in control over when ChatGPT is used. Apple plans to expand partnerships but is starting with free access to OpenAI’s GPT-4o, announced last month.

Over the past two years, hundreds of millions have flocked to generative AI tech from OpenAI and others. While it can create impressive content, generative AI’s tendency to “hallucinate” (share made-up facts) is a major drawback. AI companies have responded by warning users that these tools are best for creative tasks.

Despite this, many use AI to write work emails, code, and even imagine recipes based on nearby ingredients.

Apple’s ChatGPT integration includes clear warnings about data sharing and potential issues, with a prominent “Check important info for mistakes” warning whenever ChatGPT is shown as part of the iPhone software.

Federighi said Apple designed the integration to connect with ChatGPT when a user needs “broad world knowledge” or “specialized domain expertise” beyond Apple’s own AI tech. Apple plans to integrate other AI technologies in a similar way, without requiring users to jump between tools.

In a surprising reaction, Elon Musk, who founded xAI, said that if Apple integrates OpenAI at the OS level, Apple devices will be banned at his companies.

As one HackerNews user brings up, the partnership allows Apple to defend marketing language about user IP addresses.

As Apple battles perceptions of falling behind in AI, the company has revealed a slew of new AI-powered features backed by the OpenAI partnership.

Only the latest iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, which run on A17 chips, and iPad Pro and Air with M1 chips or later, are compatible with Apple’s new AI features. Apple Intelligence can also work on various Macs with M1 chips or later.

Apple already relies on advanced algorithms and computational photography for many iPhone camera features. The company announced “Apple Intelligence” at WWDC 2024, its name for a new suite of AI features for iPhone, Mac, and more.

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Kevin Raposo

Kevin is KnowTechie's founder and executive editor. With over 15 years of blogging experience in the tech industry, Kevin has transformed what was once a passion project into a full-blown tech news publication. Shoot him an email at kevin@knowtechie.com or find him on Mastodon or Post.