Nadella concerned as Apple tests ChatGPT-integrated Siri in iOS 18

Apple has reportedly signed a deal with OpenAI to integrate its artificial intelligence technology into iPhones, iPads, and MacBooks. According to a recent report by 9to5Mac, Apple has been testing ChatGPT-integrated Siri since last year. The report reveals that Apple employees met with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman during the WWDC in June 2023, reaching an agreement to use OpenAI’s Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) for internal testing.

These AI features are expected to be introduced with iOS 18, causing concern for Microsoft. The Information highlights that OpenAI relies heavily on Microsoft for its servers, and the influx of Apple users could overwhelm Microsoft's data centers.

Apple's testing of ChatGPT-powered Siri shows promising advancements, including handling complex queries and understanding context more accurately. Evidence of this was found in the first beta version of iOS 17.4, which contained a new Siri summarization framework making calls to the OpenAI ChatGPT API.

Apple is expected to announce these AI-powered features for its devices at the upcoming WWDC 2024 on June 10. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports that apart from this partnership, Apple may reveal AI-generated features such as transcribing voice memos and auto-generated emojis. Siri is also set to become more conversational with AI integration as part of the iOS 18 updates.

Despite the deal with OpenAI, Gurman hints that Apple is still considering Google’s ‘Gemini’ AI model as an option. Previously, Apple was developing its own Ajax AI model for on-device text analysis, smart replies, and summaries. With ChatGPT's technology, iPhones will gain enhanced capabilities, including analyzing longer texts and generating images.