Apple's partnership with OpenAI may be heading toward turbulent territory, as a new report claims the once high-profile alliance behind ChatGPT integration on iPhones has become increasingly strained. According to Bloomberg, OpenAI is now even exploring possible legal action against Apple over concerns surrounding the execution of their AI partnership.
OpenAI Reportedly Unhappy with Apple's ChatGPT Execution
The partnership was first announced at WWDC 2024, when Apple revealed that ChatGPT would power several generative AI experiences across Siri and Apple Intelligence. The integration eventually allowed users to forward complex requests from Siri to ChatGPT, generate writing suggestions and access OpenAI's capabilities system-wide across supported Apple devices.
However, the latest report claims OpenAI executives have grown frustrated with how Apple handled the rollout and visibility of ChatGPT across its ecosystem. The AI company reportedly expected deeper integration into Apple's ecosystem and stronger placement within Siri, believing the deal would also help drive ChatGPT subscriptions.
Instead, OpenAI allegedly feels the partnership failed to deliver the commercial impact it initially anticipated. The report adds that OpenAI has already consulted an outside legal firm and is weighing options that could include formally accusing Apple of breaching parts of the agreement, though a full lawsuit may not happen immediately.
Apple's Expanding AI Ambitions Could Reduce OpenAI's Role
Another point of friction reportedly stems from Apple's broader AI ambitions. While ChatGPT currently powers several Apple Intelligence features, Apple is said to be actively pursuing support for multiple AI models across iOS. Recent reports suggest the Cupertino giant has been exploring deeper ties with rivals such as Google Gemini and Anthropic Claude for the upcoming Siri app in iOS 27.
This falls in line with reports suggesting iOS 27 could introduce multi-AI support beyond Siri, potentially letting users choose between different AI assistants and models for various tasks. Apple is reportedly developing its own AI-powered search engine for Siri as it continues reducing reliance on external partners.
The reported tensions arrive at a particularly sensitive time, as Apple also settled its $250 million Apple Intelligence lawsuit recently. Since the launch of Apple Intelligence, the tech giant has been under pressure to prove it can compete with rivals in generative AI despite arriving relatively late to the race.
Apple's strategy appears to favour a more flexible AI ecosystem now, rather than dependence on a single partner. That could ultimately dilute OpenAI's role inside Apple devices, especially if Apple expands support to Gemini, Claude and its own in-house models in future iOS releases.
Neither Apple nor OpenAI has officially commented on the reported legal tensions yet. The latest report notes that discussions remain private and the situation could still evolve before any formal legal escalation takes place.
