I’m a longtime iPhone consumer, a fan of gen AI merchandise, and a ChatGPT Plus subscriber. All of that tells you that I cherished seeing that Apple went with OpenAI’s ChatGPT for iOS 18 integration at WWDC. Of all of the chatbots on the market, I wished ChatGPT to return to iOS 18 as a result of it’s presently the most suitable choice, all issues thought of.
As a part of the Apple Intelligence suite of options, Apple’s smarter Siri will allow you to connect with ChatGPT for sure issues, although it’ll at all times ask if you wish to use OpenAI’s chatbot for assist earlier than sending any information to OpenAI. Additionally, ChatGPT won’t be the unique associate for iOS 18, with Apple having confirmed at WWDC that different chatbots will probably be obtainable down the highway.
That individual admission from Craig Federighi on stage, mixed with Apple’s announcement of ChatGPT performance for iOS 18, signaled that OpenAI doesn’t have Apple’s full confidence. Put otherwise, OpenAI missed out on a historic alternative regardless of scoring an enormous win for ChatGPT.
The place was Sam Altman?
Rumors previous the occasion mentioned that Sam Altman would be a part of Apple at WWDC to announce the ChatGPT partnership. That didn’t occur. As a substitute, Federighi walked us via ChatGPT integration in iOS 18 in direction of the top of the occasion.
Now, rumors aren’t at all times proper. Additionally, OpenAI’s absence won’t be an enormous deal. Apple had particular plans for the WWDC keynote, and they won’t have included Altman to start with. However Apple did have friends. Ubisoft’s Marc-Alexis Côté took the stage through the macOS 15 phase of the present to speak about upcoming video games coming to the Mac.
As large because the gaming business is likely to be, I’d say that the AI initiative is much more necessary for Apple proper now. That’s why Altman’s absence is shocking.
We would by no means know why Altman was or wasn’t invited, or whether or not he agreed or declined to hitch Apple. However it will have been an enormous deal for OpenAI to be acknowledged publicly this fashion. By the way in which, that is Altman’s response on X to Apple’s WWDC ChatGPT announcement:
Certain, Federighi talked about that ChatGPT is the perfect of the chatbots on the market, a remark that will need to have angered Google to an extent. But it surely’s not the identical factor as having OpenAI’s CEO introduce the ChatGPT options that Federighi ended up overlaying. That will have been an enormous victory for OpenAI.
One motive for Altman’s absence is likely to be the shortage of an unique deal. Federighi mentioned Apple needs to assist different AI fashions sooner or later. Then once more, Apple won’t need any exclusivity offers with any third get together for iPhone options in spite of everything the eye it obtained from regulators for its Google Search deal.
A greater clarification for Altman’s absence at WWDC is likely to be OpenAI’s latest points. It’s not simply the Scarlett Johansson fiasco. The latest developments round OpenAI’s AI security crew and the alleged anti-whistleblower habits may give Apple motive to fret. As a lot as I like the concept of getting GPT-4o entry in iOS 18 through Siri, latest occasions additionally made me lose belief in OpenAI.
Then once more, I’m simply speculating right here. Whether or not or not some variations of opinion exist between the 2 corporations, Apple and OpenAI nonetheless inked a deal so as to add ChatGPT to iOS 18.
How ChatGPT will work in iOS 18
Federighi clarified that ChatGPT will work in keeping with Apple’s strict requirements.
First, iOS 18 will get you entry to GPT-4o, ChatGPT’s latest mannequin. That features assist for voice and picture enter, which is one thing Apple demoed on stage. ChatGPT can also be built-in into the Writing Instruments and Compose options coming to Apple Intelligence. You’ll be capable to generate textual content with ChatGPT in numerous apps on a number of Apple gadgets.
Whenever you use ChatGPT with Siri, Apple’s assistant will at all times ask customers whether or not they wish to ask ChatGPT for assist earlier than beaming any information over to OpenAI.

Additionally necessary is that you just’ll use ChatGPT (GPT-4o) without cost with out creating an account with OpenAI. That’s the present expertise for ChatGPT, by the way in which.
Crucially, not one of the information you ship to ChatGPT through Siri will probably be logged by Apple or OpenAI. Additionally, Apple’s iOS 18 and different new working programs are set as much as ship solely the info wanted to course of a request to OpenAI’s servers.
Lastly, in the event you’re a subscriber to ChatGPT Plus like me, you’ll be capable to signal into your account when utilizing the chatbot from Apple gadgets.