OpenAI is reportedly preparing legal action against Apple; it wouldn’t be the first partner to feel burned
OpenAI is reportedly weighing legal options against Apple after being disappointed by their partnership to integrate ChatGPT into Apple devices. According to sources cited by Bloomberg, the AI company has hired outside legal counsel and may submit a formal notice of contract breach, though a lawsuit may not happen until ongoing litigation with Elon Musk is resolved.
Falling Short of Expectations
The collaboration, unveiled at Apple’s June 2024 Worldwide Developers Conference, embedded ChatGPT into Apple products, making it accessible via Siri and the iPhone’s Visual Intelligence feature. OpenAI and industry observers expected it would bring significant revenue and broad exposure, thanks to Apple’s massive user base. However, OpenAI has expressed frustration that the ChatGPT features are hard to find and that user adoption—and resulting revenue—has fallen far below expectations.
Recurring Pattern with Apple Partnerships
OpenAI's disappointment echoes experiences of previous Apple partners. Over the years, companies like Google and Adobe have also found Apple to be a tough collaborator, sometimes losing access to the iOS platform. Notable examples include Apple replacing Google Maps with its own mapping service and refusing to support Adobe Flash on iPhones and iPads—moves that had a lasting impact on those services.
Spotify, too, spent years arguing Apple’s App Store policies put it at a disadvantage, a claim later backed by a major fine from the European Commission.
Recent Context and Future Outlook
Despite such rocky partnerships, Apple continues to strike new AI infrastructure deals—most recently with Google to power Apple Intelligence features with Gemini models. Meanwhile, OpenAI faces its own internal challenges, including a high-profile lawsuit from Elon Musk and reported tensions with key partners like Microsoft as it looks to assert more independence.
For more details and updates, you can read the original article by Connie Loizos on TechCrunch.
