Why Has Apple Partnered with OpenAI? - Businesskorea
In June 10, during its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), Apple officially announced its much-rumored partnership with OpenAI. The collaboration will enhance Apple's voice assistant, Siri, by incorporating ChatGPT's capabilities. This integration will process artificial intelligence (AI) functionalities within devices, and when deemed necessary, tasks will be relayed to ChatGPT in the external cloud. This strategy resembles Samsung Electronics' early 2023 approach with its Galaxy S24 series, which combined on-device AI with cloud-based AI.
Strategic Move by Apple
Though Apple may seem to lag in the AI race, many analysts view this as a strategic move by Apple to save on the billions of dollars required to develop generative AI models and to avoid potential liabilities associated with AI usage. Samsung Electronics has previously employed a similar strategy. Known for its robust smartphone technology, Samsung has operated its own AI, "Gauss," on devices, while more complex functionalities utilized Google’s generative AI, "Gemini."
Apple's Focus on User Experience
Craig Federighi, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Software Engineering, explained the decision to integrate external models such as ChatGPT, saying, "User experience remains paramount." He noted that users are likely to prefer specific models suited for tasks like creative writing or coding and mentioned that Apple is open to incorporating other models, including Google's Gemini.
Reactions to the Partnership
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and a recent entrant into the generative AI development, expressed strong disapproval of the partnership. He posted on his X (formerly Twitter) account, "If Apple integrates OpenAI at the OS level, Apple devices will be banned at my companies. It’s ridiculous to think that Apple, not smart enough to develop its own AI, can somehow ensure that OpenAI will protect your security and privacy." Samsung Mobile U.S.'s X account also chimed in, stating, "Adding 'Apple' doesn't make it new or revolutionary. Welcome to AI," followed by an apple emoji, signaling a competitive jab.
