This is the big upheaval. After having been in discussions with Google to integrate its Gemini chatbot into the next version of iOS, Apple would finally turn to its direct competitor, OpenAI, and its well-known ChatGPT.
It’s Mark Gurman from Bloomberg who reports that Apple is close to reaching an agreement with OpenAI to add ChatGPT features in iOS 18. Often well informed, our American colleague cites sources who wish to remain anonymous. He specifies that although the discussions with Google have not been successful, they are still ongoing.
A merger with OpenAI would make it possible to offer a popular chatbot to iPhone users, a novelty which would be part of a set of artificial intelligence functions that Apple wishes to bring to its iPhones.
Local AI, Apple’s vision
Remember that Cupertino’s AI vision would be very particular. Unlike Samsung which runs its Galaxy AI in remote mode, using the Cloud, Apple would have the idea of operating AI functions locally via a language model calculated by its own chips. A solution which has its advantages and disadvantages. We would gain in execution time, but we would also be constrained by the limited power of Apple’s chips.
iOS 18 AI functions operated from Apple servers
This is why Apple could also use external servers to calculate the most demanding AI operations. The same Mark Gurman indicates that certain AI functions will be supported by servers equipped, initially, with M2 Ultra chips, while waiting for the M4s to be deployed.
This would particularly concern functions such as the new, more efficient Siri, the processing of large texts or the generation of images. Using its own servers and chips would also allow Apple to guarantee enhanced data confidentiality. A thorny subject when we talk about artificial intelligence.
Moreover, Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, himself has reservations about AI. User of ChatGPT, he explained last year that there was still “a number of problems to resolve” and that if there were indeed AI functions in iOS, they would be integrated “very thoughtfully”.
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