Apple might have secured a deal with the ChatGPT-maker OpenAI that could eventually be worth billions of dollars, as per a report. The Cupertino-based tech giant has reportedly spent the last couple of months in a frenzied race to secure a partner for its artificial intelligence (AI) capability requirements. The company was said to be in discussions with Google and OpenAI, and it appears the latter has now closed the deal. It is believed that Apple will announce the partnership during its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2024 event scheduled for June 10.
Apple and OpenAI have reportedly forged a partnership
According to a report by The Information, Sam Altman-led OpenAI has forged a partnership with the iPhone maker that might see the former lend its AI technology to the latter, including its proprietary virtual chatbot ChatGPT.
The details of the deals are not known presently, but it is expected to be clearer once the partnership is officially announced at the WWDC event. Notably, this information corroborates with a previous report by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman which also claimed that Apple and OpenAI were working together to integrate ChatGPT within iOS 18.
Citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter, the report also highlighted that if the partnership goes well, the deal could be worth billions of dollars for the AI firm. The phrasing makes it appear that OpenAI is not directly making any money from the deal, but it could still make a profit via secondary avenues.
One possible option could be charging users for ChatGPT usage, or getting the opportunity to lure Apple users into buying a ChatGPT Pro subscription. However, these are just speculations and we should find out more once the deal is announced officially.
Based on information shared by another unnamed source, the publication claimed that Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella is concerned with this deal and its possible implications on Microsoft’s partnership with OpenAI.
Notably, Apple is not just relying on the OpenAI partnership to bring new AI features to its user base. As per previous reports, the tech giant is expected to introduce AI integration with Siri, the Safari browser, the Photos app, the Notes app, and more. It can also unveil AI features for its macOS.