Apple and Meta reportedly held AI partnership talks for Apple Intelligence
In a surprising move, Apple and Meta are reportedly in discussions about integrating Meta’s generative AI model into Apple Intelligence. Alongside Meta, AI startups Perplexity and Anthropic have also engaged in conversations with Apple regarding the integration of their offerings into Apple Intelligence.
History of Apple and Meta
Over the years, Apple and Meta have had several clashes, with public call-outs from both sides. In January 2021, Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Facebook (now Meta), publicly acknowledged Apple as one of their major competitors. This statement was made in response to Apple’s upcoming app tracking changes with iOS 17.4. Additionally, a report from early 2020 revealed how Apple caused chaos within Facebook by disrupting its internal apps.
Current Discussions
In a recent report from the Wall Street Journal, it is stated that Apple and Meta have been exploring the possibility of integrating Apple Intelligence. While the discussions are ongoing, there is a possibility that the partnership may not come to fruition.
Apple's Approach
During WWDC24, Apple showcased the integration of ChatGPT in Siri and Apple Intelligence. The company also expressed openness to incorporating other LLM and AI models, providing users with a choice in their usage. Although Apple Intelligence will handle most user queries, complex questions may be directed to a third-party AI model.
Partnership with Google
Prior to WWDC24, reports indicated that Apple was also in talks with Google about integrating Gemini into iOS 18. However, the absence of this AI model during iOS 18’s official announcement suggests that discussions between the two companies are still ongoing.
Financial Aspects
It remains unclear whether Apple intends to charge third-party companies for integrating their AI models into Apple Intelligence. Unlike some, OpenAI is not paying Apple for ChatGPT integration, with reports suggesting that OpenAI is receiving exposure in return. Apple may potentially earn a share from the subscription fees that AI companies generate through their integration with Apple Intelligence.
