Elon Musk is prepared to ban Apple devices at his companies if Apple integrates OpenAI’s ChatGPT into their iPhones.
During their development conference on Monday, Apple announced that they are incorporating ChatGPT into the operating systems of MacBooks and iPhones to utilize the AI chatbot’s capabilities “without needing to jump between tools,” as stated in the official announcement.
Musk considers this update to be an “unacceptable security violation.”
“It’s patently absurd that Apple isn’t capable of creating their own AI yet somehow expects OpenAI to ensure the security and privacy of their users!” Musk wrote in a social media post.
Musk added that visitors to X headquarters in San Francisco would also have to “check their Apple devices at the door, where they will be stored in a Faraday cage,” a type of container that blocks signals from entering or leaving.
Apple announced that it will be integrating ChatGPT into Siri and a new update called Writing Tools, where AI “will help you find the right words virtually everywhere you write.”
Siri requests made by users, including documents and photos, can be sent to ChatGPT for assistance.
OpenAI announced that any requests made through Apple’s Siri and Writing Tools are “not stored,” and IP addresses will be obscured.
Apple stated that privacy is “integrated” into their products to “protect users at every step,” ensuring personal information is acknowledged without being collected.
“Apple shares our commitment to safety and innovation, and this partnership aligns with OpenAI’s mission to make advanced AI accessible to everyone,” said OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.
Musk, one of OpenAI’s co-founders in 2015, stepped down from the board in 2018. Recently, he has been a vocal critic of the AI giant, filing a lawsuit against OpenAI earlier this year, alleging it has strayed from its founding mission to develop AI “for the benefit of humanity.”
In May, Musk raised $6 billion (€5.5 billion) for his AI competitor, xAI. Its main product, Grok, modeled after the “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy,” can “answer almost anything.”
The ChatGPT and Apple partnership is set to launch later this year with free software updates for users of the latest iPhone, iPad, and Mac products.
