LONDON – Apple announced a significant upgrade to its Siri voice assistant and operating systems by integrating OpenAI’s ChatGPT, in a bid to stay competitive in the fast-evolving AI landscape. The announcement came during Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference on Monday.

The iPhone maker introduced “Apple Intelligence,” a personalized AI system designed to enhance user interaction with Apple devices. This system integrates ChatGPT through a partnership with developer OpenAI, enhancing tools like text and content generation. A test version will be available this autumn.

Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, emphasized the transformative potential of this integration, stating it would elevate Apple products “to new heights.” The announcement, however, was met with criticism from Elon Musk, owner of Tesla and Twitter/X, who raised concerns about data security. Musk threatened to ban iPhones from his companies, accusing Apple of compromising user data by collaborating with OpenAI.

Apple has faced mounting pressure to innovate in AI, lagging behind rivals who have aggressively adopted the technology. After losing its status as the world’s most valuable company to Microsoft in January and subsequently to Nvidia in June, the tech giant’s AI initiatives aim to reassure investors and regain market confidence.

Ben Wood, chief analyst at CCS Insight, noted that while Apple’s new AI system could appease investors, the reliance on ChatGPT highlights Siri’s limitations. “This sees Apple admitting its limitations given ChatGPT will kick in at a point where Siri is no longer able to help a user,” Wood told the BBC.

What is ‘Apple Intelligence’?

“Apple Intelligence” is a new AI framework embedded across Apple’s ecosystem. It aims to streamline user interactions, from refining message drafts to optimizing travel routes for calendar appointments. Unlike Microsoft’s AI assistant Copilot, Apple Intelligence will not require additional activation fees.

Siri has been revamped with a new interface and a more conversational approach, enhancing user experience across devices and apps. Apple assured that privacy remains a priority, with some processing done on-device and larger tasks handled in the cloud without data storage.

Craig Federighi, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Software Engineering, highlighted the system’s privacy-centric design, stating it combines powerful generative models with strong privacy protections.

Implications of the OpenAI Partnership

Apple’s collaboration with OpenAI marks a significant shift for a company known for tightly controlling its products. This move follows scrutiny faced by Google and Microsoft over AI-related errors, emphasizing the challenges of integrating advanced AI technologies.

Historically, Apple has restricted app downloads to its App Store and mandated the use of its Safari browser for security reasons, only relenting under EU regulatory pressure. The partnership with OpenAI suggests a recognition of ChatGPT’s current dominance in AI, signaling a strategic pivot for Apple.

In addition to AI advancements, Apple announced the UK release date for its mixed reality headset, the Vision Pro, set for 12 July. Other new features revealed at the conference include satellite texting, scheduled messages, AirPods Pro control via head gestures, a cross-device password manager, and enhanced app privacy options using Face ID or passcodes.

This AI integration marks a pivotal moment for Apple as it seeks to reassert its position in the tech industry amid rapid advancements by competitors.