ChatGPT on the Side

Earlier this year, reports surfaced that Apple was exploring partnerships with Google and OpenAI to incorporate their generative AI technology into its system. More recently, it was revealed that Apple has reached a deal with OpenAI to license ChatGPT. However, while that’s turned out to be accurate, the partnership is a bit different than what many folks were expecting.

Specifically, ChatGPT is only being used as an add-on to Apple’s own generative AI features, not as a core component. As Craig Federighi noted, Apple Intelligence is based primarily on providing personalized experiences — something other systems like ChatGPT (thankfully) can’t do. However, Apple’s AI isn’t yet as clued into the broader world as OpenAI’s chatbot, so it’s bringing ChatGPT into the fold to provide those extra capabilities for those who want to take advantage of them.

While ChatGPT is being integrated into Siri and the other Apple Intelligence features, it will be very clear when your iPhone reaches out to the external chatbot. Users will be explicitly asked if they want to use ChatGPT and will be told what will be shared in the process. For example, when asking Siri to help get information based on a photo, iOS 18 will make it clear that you need to upload the image to ChatGPT to continue, allowing you to decline if you’d rather it didn’t leave your iPhone.

ChatGPT will also be integrated into the writing tools, allowing it to help draft emails, notes, stories, and more, including adding photos and refining things. This will all be possible without the need to pay for ChatGPT or even set up an account, although ChatGPT subscribers will also be able to take advantage of their paid services directly within the context of Apple’s integrations.