Apple recently announced a partnership with OpenAI at its Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) 2024.
The integration will bring ChatGPT to iOS, iPadOS, and macOS through iOS 18, allowing users to access ChatGPT's capabilities seamlessly.
In response, SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk threatened to ban Apple devices at his companies if this integration proceeds. Musk expressed privacy concerns and shared a meme from the 2017 Tamil movie Thappattam on his platform X (formerly Twitter), criticizing Apple's potential data sharing with OpenAI.
It shows a man and a woman sharing coconut water. The image shows how Apple might share data with OpenAI, which could lead to privacy issues. The header of the image reads, "How intelligence works".
On the other hand, Apple told CNBC that the integration with OpenAI is optional, emphasising that their AI prioritizes privacy.
OpenAI also assured that privacy protections are in place, with no data stored and users' IP addresses obscured.
Meanwhile, Musk called the deal "an unacceptable security violation," suggesting that visitors to his company offices would need to store their Apple devices in a Faraday cage.
Moreover, Apple defended its AI capabilities, stating that they combine on-device processing and cloud computing to ensure privacy and security.
