Apple Reportedly in Talks to Invest in OpenAI, Signaling Deeper AI Integration

Apple Now Wants To Invest In OpenAI, As iOS 18 Release With ChatGPT Support Is Right Around The Corner

Siri is getting a major face-lift this year with the release of iOS 18, and one of the most significant changes it will go through is its integration with ChatGPT. Apple partnered with OpenAI to bring its generative AI technology to the iPhone, but it was reported that the company is not paying anything other than exposure. It is now being reported that Apple is interested in investing in OpenAI and its generative AI technology, which could mean that the company has big plans for the future. According to The Wall Street Journal and its sources familiar with the matter, Apple plans to invest in OpenAI ahead of the iOS 18 release, which will feature ChatGPT integration. Apple's implementation of ChatGPT does not bring native support for the technology as requests are sent to OpenAI for processing, and the entire process does not happen on the device. Instead, the technology is implemented via the cloud-based approach, which is one of the reasons why Apple decided to pay the company with exposure. The report did not indicate the amount of money Apple plans to invest in OpenAI, but based on the latest fundraising round, OpenAI is valued at $100 billion. While concrete details are not available at this stage, we suspect Apple will invest a hefty amount to compete against Microsoft, which would also use the same generative AI technology in its products. However, the implementation could be widely different. Additionally, Apple could set varying parameters compared to the competition to keep the technology according to its preferences. Apple will release iOS 18 with ChatGPT integration in Siri and the update will be available to all users later this year. While Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 16 lineup and iOS 18 next month, Apple Intelligence and the new Siri experience will not be available at launch. The company has already seeded the third developer beta of iOS 18.1, which carries the necessary Apple Intelligence features, but it, too, does not feature support for Siri with ChatGPT. Apple is also working on additional AI models that will be incorporated into future versions of iOS and other software updates. Apple investing in OpenAI makes a lot of sense as it would allow the company to develop features which it can charge a subscription for. It was recently reported that the company has three years to prepare forward-facing AI features if it wants users to pay for a monthly subscription. Do you think Apple Intelligence will remain a free service in the coming years?

Apple reportedly in early talks of investing in OpenAI -- just before ChatGPT comes to Siri in iOS 18

Apple is in talks to invest big bucks into OpenAI as part of an upcoming funding round. According to sources at the Wall Street Journal, OpenAI -- known for its AI assistant ChatGPT -- has been in talks with Apple, Nvidia, and Microsoft about a funding round that could value the company at $100 billion. The article also highlights how Microsoft, already a major partner of OpenAI, is looking to invest even more in the company. 'It couldn't be learned how much Apple or Microsoft will invest into OpenAI this round. To date, Microsoft has been the primary strategic investor in OpenAI. It owns a 49% share of the AI startup's profits after investing $13 billion since 2019." The timing of this impending funding round is curious. ChatGPT is set to be integrated into Apple's assistant, Siri, as part of iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1 when these are released as part of Apple Intelligence later this year. Once available, Siri will prompt the user if they want to use ChatGPT to help answer a query. If Apple goes ahead with this investment into OpenAI, we could see ChatGPT be part of Siri for the foreseeable future, potentially leading to new features in the coming years. Showcased at WWDC in June, Apple's yearly developer conference, ChatGPT won't require users to create an account in order to use it with Siri. Instead, OpenAI's assistant will appear when Siri needs help with answering a query. But that's not all that this integration will offer. Apple Intelligence will include Writing Tools, enabling users to rewrite an email or a report into distinct styles, such as casual or professional. ChatGPT will help with this through an overlay that will let you choose between these styles. Although the latest betas of iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1 come with Apple Intelligence to test, ChatGPT integration is not yet available. However, it's expected to arrive with these updates later this year.

Apple is reportedly investing in OpenAI, which may signal a deeper ChatGPT partnership

Apple has big plans for its own Apple Intelligence AI features this year, but may be hedging its bets with an investment in OpenAI, according to a Wall Street Journal report. Considering the upcoming fundraising round by OpenAI claims the company is worth over $100 billion, deep-pocketed companies like Apple are likely going to be necessary anyway, but it could mean Apple's AI future is a little more flexible than might have been assumed. Apple's interest in OpenAI fits with its rush into AI this year, particularly with the planned release of Apple Intelligence. The company is expected to share a lot more details on these AI futures at its Glowtime event planned for Sept. 9. We already know Apple plans to include both its own and third-party AI models. You might end up having a lot more choices about the kinds of AI features you can access on your Apple devices, which would be a different experience compared to the way they usually default to Apple's own apps and services (causing quite a lot of chaos when Apple Maps ended its deal with Google Maps). In fact, this isn't the first sign of agreement between Apple and OpenAI. Apple is working to integrate ChatGPT features into Mac and iOS systems, for instance. But, as the WSJ report points out, Apple doesn't usually invest in companies like OpenAI, usually it just buys startups and instead invests in manufacturing companies. As the investment round is expected to raise several billion dollars, OpenAI is obviously fine with Apple signing a check. Of course, Apple isn't the only investor in the round. Thrive Capital is leading it, but Microsoft, usually one of Apple's biggest rivals, is also participating. That's notable, considering Microsoft was the first major investor in OpenAI and has already invested $13 billion, giving it a 49% stake in OpenAI's profits. Though Apple is usually known for taking its own approach to products and platforms, OpenAI isn't its only collaborator when it comes to AI. There have been rumors of plans for Apple and Meta to team up on AI features for future iPhones and the company has publicly mentioned the possibility of working with Google to access its Gemini AI models. The same goes for Apple's conversations with both Anthropic, the creator of Claude AI, and Perplexity AI. Apple isn't giving up its standard approach on everything though, according to the report. It's still making privacy a cornerstone of its brand. Apple is working on stronger privacy protections for users interacting with AI tools than is standard. Apparently, Apple's goal is to make sure complex AI tasks are processed through ChatGPT and maintain a higher level of data security and user confidentiality. For Apple users, the inclusion of ChatGPT and other AI models in Apple's ecosystem might allow for better experiences. At the same time, Apple's moves show that the competition in AI, particularly between Apple and Microsoft, has a unique shape compared to a simple operating system war. Both companies are vying to dominate the AI landscape. The question is whether privacy and other Apple strengths will outdo the way Microsoft has made AI part of its entire product line and its lead in both deployment and investment in OpenAI.

Apple in talks to invest in OpenAI

iPhone juggernaut Apple is in talks to invest in OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT and the biggest name in generative artificial intelligence, a news report said Thursday. According to the Wall Street Journal, the company founded by Steve Jobs is at the funding table as OpenAI raises more money to help meet the heavy costs of building new technology. Reports said that OpenAI is in talks to reach a valuation of $100 billion in the funding round led by venture capital firm Thrive Capital, which will pump in one billion dollars. For months, news reports have said OpenAI has been in talks to raise the capital that would make it one of the most valuable tech companies in the world. Microsoft, which is OpenAI's biggest investor and takes home half of the startup's profits, is also part of the new funding round. The entry of Apple into OpenAI's ownership, if confirmed, would come as the company is set to announce its new iPhones on September 9 that are expected to optimize AI innovations. In June, Apple announced that it was making OpenAI's technology available as an option in the software for top-of-the-line iPhones, but added that AI tools made by other companies would also be available in time. Most of the AI features used by Apple users would use the company's own technology, but more complicated tasks would be deferred to OpenAI's powers if the customer chose to do so. Apple did not respond to a request for comment from AFP.

Apple in talks to join OpenAI funding round, report says

Apple is in talks to invest in OpenAI as part of a new fundraising round that would value the ChatGPT maker above $100 billion, Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter. The news comes a day after the Journal reported that venture-capital firm Thrive Capital would invest around $1 billion in OpenAI, leading the funding round. Apple and OpenAI did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment, while Thrive Capital and Microsoft declined comment. Also read: Apple cuts jobs in digital services groups as priorities shift OpenAI has become increasingly important to Apple's artificial intelligence strategy, with the iPhone maker bringing the AI firm's chatbot, ChatGPT, to Apple devices in June as part of "Apple Intelligence." Apple was also reported to gain an observer role on OpenAI's board. Microsoft, OpenAI's largest strategic investor with over $10 billion invested, is also expected to participate in the funding round, according to the report. The exact investment amounts from Apple and Microsoft remain undisclosed. OpenAI's high valuation is a result of the AI arms race it sparked with the launch of ChatGPT in late 2022, prompting companies across industries to invest billions in the technology to stay ahead of the competition and capture market share. The Sam Altman-led firm was reportedly valued at $80 billion in February after completing a deal where the company would sell existing shares in a so-called tender offer led by Thrive Capital. SHARE Copy linkEmailFacebookTwitterTelegramLinkedInWhatsAppRedditPublished on August 30, 2024

Apple in talks to join new OpenAI funding round

The investment would be part of a new OpenAI fundraising round that would value the ChatGPT maker above $100 billion, people familiar with the situation said. The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that venture-capital firm Thrive Capital is leading the round, which will total several billion dollars, and Apple rival Microsoft is also expected to participate. It couldn't be learned how much Apple or Microsoft will invest into OpenAI this round. To date, Microsoft has been the primary strategic investor into OpenAI. It owns a 49% share of the AI startup's profits after investing $13 billion since 2019.