Elon Musk, the billionaire CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has warned of a potential ban on Apple devices within his companies if Apple moves forward with integrating OpenAI's ChatGPT into its operating systems (OS) for iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
In a June 10 post on X, Musk declared, "If Apple integrates OpenAI at the OS level, then Apple devices will be banned at my companies. That is an unacceptable security violation."
Musk went further to propose that visitors to his companies would be required to store their Apple devices in Faraday cage.
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This statement came shortly after Apple's announcement at its 2024 Worldwide Developers Conference, where the tech giant introduced new generative artificial intelligence (AI) features called "Apple Intelligence." These features are expected to be included in the upcoming iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia releases later this year.
One of the update's features will be Siri's ability to forward user queries to ChatGPT. This feature, powered by the latest version of ChatGPT, GPT-4o, will ensure users are asked for consent before any data, including documents or photos, is transmitted to ChatGPT. Siri would then provide the response from ChatGPT directly.
Musk criticized Apple for this move, stating it is "patently absurd" that Apple cannot develop its own AI technology. He suggested that relying on third-party AI undermines user privacy and security. Musk warned:
They're selling you down the river.
Despite his concerns, Musk did not provide details on the privacy protections associated with OpenAI's integration. Besides, Apple clarified that user IP addresses would remain hidden and OpenAI would not store requests.
Musk's post drew user comments about security issues on his own platform, X. They highlighted that the new monetization eligibility update on X requires ID verification by the Israeli company Au10tix, founded by Ron Atzmon, who reportedly has ties to the Israeli army.
On the other hand, reports countering these claims assert that Au10tix stores data for major customers on Microsoft servers in the US, UK, and Japan.
Nonetheless, Musk's stance against integrating OpenAI with Apple devices highlights the ongoing debates about AI, privacy, and security.
This stance may stem not only from privacy concerns but also from Musk's past conflicts with OpenAI, including a lawsuit he filed against the company for abandoning its commitment to open-source AI development.
