In case you were wondering if this decision of powering AI features in iOS 18 using ChatGPT was made out of the blue, here’s a backstory. Sometime last month, Bloomberg reported that Apple engaged in talks with both OpenAI and Google regarding the integration of their chatbot technologies into iOS 18’s forthcoming artificial intelligence features. Should an agreement be reached, Apple might incorporate either ChatGPT or Gemini for cloud-based AI functionalities within the next iPhone operating system.
These discussions between Apple, Google, and OpenAI carry significance for several reasons. Firstly, they imply that Apple may be lagging further behind in its AI initiatives than previously perceived. Despite ChatGPT’s widespread adoption in the preceding year, Apple notably refrained from fully embracing AI in 2023.
Subsequently, the company appears to be striving to narrow the gap with its rivals, as evidenced by its pursuit of licensing agreements with Google or OpenAI for their chatbots, indicating a perceived competitiveness gap with its chatbot offerings.
Moreover, the discussions between Apple and Google are noteworthy due to the potential licensing of Google’s Gemini chatbot. Such a collaboration would likely represent the most significant partnership between the two tech giants since their agreement nearly 15 years ago, wherein Google’s search engine became the default on the iPhone. Although it is reportedly said that Google pays Apple $20 billion annually for this arrangement, which has become the subject of an ongoing antitrust lawsuit brought against Google by the U.S. Department of Justice.
From the look of things, it seems that OpenAI could be leading the pack in this competition, potentially paving the way for tools like ChatGPT and Dall-E (both developed by OpenAI) to be integrated into the iOS 18 update, anticipated to be released around September.
What To Expect
According to Mark Gurman at Bloomberg, Apple is still weighing its options and hasn’t finalized a decision yet; it may choose to collaborate with Google, OpenAI, or even both companies. However, one certain thing is that iOS 18 will heavily emphasize artificial intelligence, as already confirmed by Apple.
Nonetheless, anticipate iOS 18 to incorporate local, device-based AI capabilities as well. Apple has showcased new large language models (LLMs) that are compact enough to be stored and operated directly from a smartphone.
While the exact specifics are yet to be revealed, iOS 18 may feature AI-driven text and image generation, along with significant enhancements to Siri. There have also been murmurs about potential additions like AI-powered playlist creation in Apple Music.
The ultimate choices regarding partnerships with OpenAI, Google, or other entities for the AI core of iOS 18 will probably be announced during the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) hosted by Apple. It is during this event – which is about six weeks from now (June) that Apple is expected to introduce a range of new generative AI features for its products – iOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS, visionOS. The Cupertino-based company is will disclose its AI strategy along with new hardware and software features centered around AI.