Apple and OpenAI clash over Siri

OpenAI is weighing legal options against Apple after a two-year partnership built around Siri and ChatGPT deteriorated, according to Reuters and Bloomberg reporting on May 14. The dispute centers on a 2024 agreement that put ChatGPT inside Apple’s software, including Siri, Writing Tools and other Apple Intelligence features. Reuters reported that OpenAI had hoped the deal would drive subscriptions and broader product reach through the iPhone maker’s ecosystem, but a person familiar with the matter said those benefits did not materialize. Apple did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment. ### What, exactly, did Apple and OpenAI agree to in 2024? Apple and OpenAI announced the partnership on June 10, 2024, during Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference. OpenAI said at the time that ChatGPT would be integrated into iOS, iPadOS and macOS, with Siri able to hand certain requests to ChatGPT and return the answer directly. OpenAI also said users would be able to access ChatGPT for free without creating an account, while paid subscribers could connect their accounts inside Apple’s software. (money.usnews.com) The company said privacy protections would include user confirmation before Siri sent questions, documents or photos to ChatGPT, and that requests made through Siri and Writing Tools would not be stored by OpenAI. ### Why did the relationship sour? Reuters reported on May 14 that OpenAI believed the Apple deal would increase ChatGPT memberships and lead to deeper integration across Apple apps. (openai.com) A person familiar with the matter told Reuters that OpenAI has not seen the expected benefits and that the relationship has deteriorated after attempts to renegotiate the arrangement stalled. Bloomberg reported that OpenAI lawyers were working with an outside legal firm on options that could be executed soon. Reuters said those options include notifying Apple of a breach of contract without necessarily filing a full lawsuit. ### Is OpenAI suing Apple now? Reuters reported that OpenAI had not filed a lawsuit as of May 14. The news agency said the company wanted to resolve the dispute without going to court, but that its lawyers were actively evaluating legal steps with outside counsel. (money.usnews.com) Bloomberg described the work as preparation for possible legal action rather than a filed case. That distinction matters because the immediate next step, according to Reuters, could be a formal breach notice rather than a courtroom filing. (money.usnews.com) ### Did Apple’s talks with other AI companies trigger the dispute? Reuters reported that Apple’s work with other model providers was not the reason for OpenAI’s legal review. (money.usnews.com) The news agency said the partnership was not intended to be exclusive from the start, citing a source familiar with the matter. Reuters also reported that Apple is testing integrations with Anthropic’s Claude and Google’s Gemini as part of a broader plan to let users choose among third-party AI models. (money.usnews.com) Bloomberg had separately reported this month that OpenAI could lose its singular role inside Apple’s software as that strategy expands. ### Where does Siri fit into the fight? Siri was the most visible part of the partnership because Apple presented ChatGPT as a fallback or handoff layer inside its assistant. (money.usnews.com) OpenAI’s June 2024 announcement said Siri could tap ChatGPT “when helpful,” which made the assistant the clearest consumer-facing test of whether the alliance would deepen over time. Reuters reported that Google’s Gemini is expected to power Apple’s revamped Siri later this year. (money.usnews.com) If Apple broadens Siri’s model choices at the same time OpenAI is considering breach claims, the June developer conference could become the next public checkpoint in the dispute. That timing is an inference based on Reuters’ reporting about Apple’s conference schedule and Siri plans. (openai.com) ### What should readers watch next? Apple is scheduled to hold its annual developer conference in June, Reuters reported, and the company is expected to give more detail there on its artificial-intelligence plans. Siri changes, any expansion of third-party model options, and any formal notice from OpenAI would be the next concrete developments to watch. (money.usnews.com)