On the Day 1 of Apple’s annual event, WWDC 2024, the company unveiled multiple upgrades coming to its devices. Staying true to the rumours, the event highlighted the integration of artificial intelligence into the software upgrade of iOS 18. During the event, Apple confirmed that they will tie-up with OpenAI to integrate ChatGPT deep into the devices to use as a chatbot. However, the move has failed to impress Elon Musk.
Musk, CEO of Tesla, took to X (Formerly Twitter) stating how disappointed he is with the OpenAI-Apple collaboration. Sharing his reaction, he posted that if OpenAI comes to the iPhone’s OS, the devices will no longer be allowed in his companies. Replying to Tim Cook, Apple CEO, Musk stated, “Don’t want it (Apple Intelligence). Either stop this creepy spyware or all Apple devices will be banned from the premises of my companies.”
Additionally, he suggested that he would make sure that no Apple device is present in his office building. He said, “And visitors will have to check their Apple devices at the door, where they will be stored in a Faraday cage.”
After the launch, Musk bombarded its X profile with memes and other content suggesting how OpenAI’s chatbot is a spyware. In a post, he explained, “It’s patently absurd that Apple isn’t smart enough to make their own AI, yet is somehow capable of ensuring that OpenAI will protect your security & privacy! Apple has no clue what’s actually going on once they hand your data over to OpenAI. They’re selling you down the river.”
Going by the words of Musk, OpenAI uses private data to train their chatbots and call it personalisation. Hence, as Apple integrates ChatGPT into its devices, it will exploit the privacy of the user. This is not the first time OpenAI has been in the middle of privacy concerns.
Apple might have seen the criticism coming. They have declared an ‘opt-in’ option. But Musk found a way to criticise that too. Replying to a user, he posted, “Apple using the words “protect your privacy” while handing your data over to a third-party AI that they don’t understand and can’t themselves create is *not* protecting privacy at all!”
Amid backlash from several X users over OpenAI’s collaboration with Apple devices, Elon Musk hinted at the upcoming Grok phone. One user reacted to the announcement of Apple integrating ChatGPT by stating he would prefer a Grok phone with Grok integrated.
Grok is a generative artificial intelligence chatbot developed by xAI. Based on a large language model (LLM), it was developed as an initiative by Elon Musk in direct response to the meteoric rise of ChatGPT, the developer of which, OpenAI, Musk co-founded. The chatbot is advertised as "having a sense of humour" and direct access to X.
In response to the user's comment, Musk replied that if Apple proceeds with its plans, then the Grok phone might become a reality. He posted on X, “If Apple actually integrates woke nanny AI spyware into their OS, we might need to do that!”
Musk also added that the Grok phone is inevitable, indicating that the devices are in progress and might hit the market in the near future.
