Apple has resumed talks with OpenAI to bring generative AI capabilities to iPhones. Earlier this year, Apple and Google were in discussions to introduce generative AI features in the upcoming iOS 18 operating system. According to a report by Bloomberg's Mark Gurnman, Apple and OpenAI had started discussions earlier but progress had been minimal. Now, both companies are back in talks to enable a chatbot-like feature in iOS 18.
Continued Negotiations
Apple has also been in discussions with Google to license its Gemini AI chatbot. It is speculated that Apple might come to an agreement with both OpenAI and Google, or opt for one vendor for its chatbot solution. Additionally, Apple is in talks with Baidu to provide generative AI capabilities to users in China where Google does not have a presence.
iOS 18 Updates
Apple's iOS 18 is anticipated to be a significant software update in the company's history. The new operating system is expected to be unveiled at the Worldwide Developers Conference and may first be available on the upcoming iPhone 16 series later this year.
On-Device Model Development
Gurnman's Power On newsletter revealed that Apple is working on developing a large language model (LLM) that will be entirely on-device, powered by the phone's processor rather than cloud-based. Despite being less potent and knowledgeable compared to commercial chatbots like ChatGPT and Gemini, which are supported by extensive servers and trained on billions of parameters, the on-device model could benefit from reduced response time, offline access, improved privacy maintenance, and enhanced service availability in low-connectivity areas.
Apple's collaboration with OpenAI signifies a step towards integrating advanced AI capabilities into its products, aiming to enhance user experience and technological innovation.
