OpenAI is reportedly exploring legal options after Apple’s integration of ChatGPT into its products failed to live up to the AI firm’s expectations. When the deal was announced, Apple likened the Siri-ChatGPT integration to its landmark agreement with Google for Safari search. This comparison excited OpenAI executives, who anticipated the partnership could generate billions of dollars in annual subscription revenue through massive distribution.
Instead, OpenAI suspects Apple intentionally failed to promote the integration and fears the implementation may have damaged the ChatGPT brand. Sources say OpenAI specifically dislikes Apple's design choices, particularly the requirement for users to explicitly invoke the word "ChatGPT" when speaking or typing commands to Siri. This friction, OpenAI believes, makes it significantly harder for users to access the AI features.
Furthermore, Apple’s choice to use small, non-intrusive windows for ChatGPT outputs allegedly ensures that users can easily overlook the functionality. An OpenAI executive explained that Apple did not fully disclose how the integration would work during negotiations, leading the company to take a "leap of faith" that it now regrets. The executive noted that while the promise of a giant mobile ecosystem was alluring, the reality has been far from ideal.
Efforts to renegotiate the deal have reportedly stalled, and OpenAI has declined to enter further partnerships regarding Apple’s proprietary AI models. Insiders claim OpenAI is so disappointed that it is now "actively working with an outside legal firm on a range of options" for formal execution. "We have done everything from a product perspective," the executive told Bloomberg. "They have not, and worse, they haven’t even made an honest effort."
