Apple Integrates ChatGPT into iOS 18.2, Enhancing iPhone AI Capabilities

10 Ways to Use ChatGPT on Your iPhone with iOS 18.2 and Apple Intelligence

Apple's latest operating system, iOS 18.2, introduces a seamless integration of ChatGPT through Apple Intelligence, transforming how you interact with your iPhone. This collaboration enhances productivity, creativity, and task management by leveraging advanced AI capabilities. Whether you need answers to complex questions, content summaries, or creative outputs, ChatGPT offers a wide array of functionalities. Accessible via Siri and text shortcuts, this feature is available in both free and premium tiers, with the latter unlocking extended capabilities. In the video below, Proper Honest Tech explores ten practical ways you can use ChatGPT on your iPhone running iOS 18.2. To use ChatGPT on your iPhone, ensure your device meets the necessary hardware and software requirements. This feature is compatible with the iPhone 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max, and iPhone 16 models, which are equipped to handle the latest advancements in AI. Additionally, Apple Intelligence must be enabled, though it is currently limited to select regions. Make sure your device is updated to iOS 18.2 to unlock these capabilities. ChatGPT is designed for easy access, integrating seamlessly into your daily workflow. You can interact with it through Siri, allowing you to ask questions and receive detailed responses. Alternatively, you can set up text shortcuts for quicker access, bypassing Siri entirely. For those prioritizing privacy, you can choose to stay logged out for anonymous interactions or log in to save chat history and access premium features. Here are ten ways to leverage ChatGPT on your iPhone with iOS 18.2: ChatGPT excels at handling complex queries that go beyond Siri's basic responses. Whether you need to calculate travel costs, coordinate time zones for meetings, or understand intricate concepts, ChatGPT delivers accurate and detailed answers. Its ability to follow up on previous questions ensures a conversational and intuitive experience, making it a valuable tool for problem-solving. One of ChatGPT's standout features is its ability to summarize content efficiently. Whether you're dealing with lengthy emails, detailed articles, or extensive notes, ChatGPT condenses the information into concise, actionable summaries. This is particularly useful for professionals managing large volumes of information or students reviewing academic materials. ChatGPT transforms how you approach writing tasks. It can draft polished emails, create professional documents, or rewrite existing content to improve clarity and tone. For instance, you can provide a rough outline, and ChatGPT will generate a complete draft, saving you time and effort. Its ability to refine and rephrase text ensures your communication is always clear and effective. With iOS 18.2, ChatGPT enhances your iPhone's ability to analyze images. It identifies objects, landmarks, and text in photos with greater accuracy than Apple's Visual Lookup. For example, you can take a picture of a recipe, and ChatGPT will provide detailed instructions or suggest ingredient substitutions. This feature also extends to identifying products, offering additional context such as reviews or purchasing options. ChatGPT's creative capabilities extend beyond text. It can generate AI-created visuals based on your prompts, offering more customization and quality than Apple's Image Playground. Additionally, it can extract specific data from documents, such as itemized expenses from receipts or key details from contracts, making it a versatile tool for both personal and professional use. Managing documents becomes effortless with ChatGPT's file summarization feature. Whether you're reviewing a lengthy PDF or analyzing property documents, ChatGPT focuses on the details you specify. For instance, you can ask it to summarize plumbing-related information in a home inspection report, ensuring you get the insights you need without sifting through irrelevant content. ChatGPT integrates seamlessly with the Notes app, allowing you to save responses directly for future reference. This feature is particularly useful for organizing ideas, storing research findings, or keeping track of important information. By combining ChatGPT's capabilities with the Notes app, you can create a centralized hub for all your digital content. Browsing the web becomes more efficient with ChatGPT's Safari integration. It can summarize and analyze web articles, providing deeper insights than Apple Intelligence. For instance, you can use it to extract key points from a news article or generate a summary of a research paper, streamlining your online reading experience. ChatGPT simplifies everyday tasks with its wide range of practical applications. From drafting replies to creating personalized recipes, it helps you manage your day more efficiently. It can also organize information from various sources, such as compiling data from emails, notes, and web searches into a cohesive format. Whether you're managing a project or planning a trip, ChatGPT serves as a reliable assistant. By combining productivity tools with creative capabilities, ChatGPT becomes an indispensable part of your workflow. It can brainstorm ideas, generate unique content, and even help you plan events or projects. Its versatility ensures that it adapts to your needs, whether you're working on a professional task or exploring a creative hobby. The integration of ChatGPT into iOS 18.2 represents a significant leap forward for Apple's ecosystem. By merging the power of Apple Intelligence with ChatGPT's advanced AI capabilities, your iPhone becomes a more versatile and efficient tool. From answering complex questions to enhancing creativity, this integration offers practical solutions for a wide range of tasks. While some native Apple features remain limited, ChatGPT stands out as a transformative addition, redefining how you interact with your device. As you explore the possibilities of ChatGPT on your iPhone, you'll discover new ways to streamline your daily life, boost productivity, and unlock your creative potential.

Your iPhone is now integrated with ChatGPT-here's how to use it

Apple Intelligence and ChatGPT give Siri superpowers in iOS 18.2. The iOS 18.2 update brings several new Apple Intelligence features to your iPhone 16 (or iPhone 15 Pro/Pro Max), centered mostly around image generation and Visual Intelligence on iPhone 16. But it also integrated ChatGPT into Apple's AI tools, including Siri, and it can be incredibly useful. Here are all the places that ChatGPT has been added to iOS and how you can use them to turbocharge AI on your iPhone. You don't need a ChatGPT account to start using it on your iPhone, but you do need to turn it on. Open Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri and look for the ChatGPT menu under the "Extensions" heading. If and when Apple integrates other AI services, they'll also appear here. In the ChatGPT menu tap Set Up... and you'll get a pop-up card telling you what you can do with ChatGPT. Tap Next, then on the next card tap "Enable ChatGPT" or "Use ChatGPT with an Account." You'll also see a "Confirm ChatGPT Requests" toggle that is enabled by default. Any time Siri or any other AI tool wants to use ChatGPT, you'll be prompted first. Turning it off will let you chat uninterrupted but you'll always be asked before sending any sort of image to ChatGPT, regardless of how you set this toggle. Apple shares very limited information with OpenAI, only what is strictly necessary to fulfill the request, but leaving this enabled means you have to opt into every request. That can be a good thing, but if you're not so concerned or bothered by the constant requests, you can turn this off so your interaction flow will be a lot smoother. If you want to sign into your ChatGPT account later, you'll find a Sign In option in the ChatGPT menu. Being signed in will keep a record of all your ChatGPT requests in your ChatGPT account-when you use the ChatGPT app (mobile or desktop) you'll find the history of all your ChatGPT requests from Siri and elsewhere within iOS. There's a daily limit to how many "advanced" requests you can make if you're not a ChatGPT subscriber, and you'll see a note on this page if you're over the limit. You'll get less-advanced "basic" results until the next day. If you have a ChatGPT Plus subscription, logging in lets you make all the advanced requests you want. Now that Chat GPT is turned on, let's start using it. The most prominent place to use ChatGPT is when interacting with Siri. As long as ChatGPT is enabled, Siri will automatically turn to ChatGPT for anything it doesn't know the answer to. This means answers involving personal information on your phone will always be handled by Siri, as well as certain general knowledge questions, but ChatGPT can answer far more than Siri ever could. You can also force Siri to use ChatGPT even on a question it would normally answer itself, by adding "Ask ChatGPT" before it. "Hey Siri, ask ChatGPT if dogs can eat broccoli" gives you an answer from OpenAI's chatbot instead of Apple's. The real fun starts when you ask ChatGPT to do things Siri never does. Try "Ask ChatGPT to compose a short thank-you letter to my mom" or "Ask ChatGPT to create a two-day itinerary for visiting San Francisco." You can even use OpenAI's image-generation tools. For example, in the example below, I asked ChatGPT to create an image of a Siamese cat in a ninja outfit. The image generation capabilities of ChatGPT are far more advanced and less restrictive than Image Playground. ChatGPT can also analyze images and what's on your screen. If you tell Siri to ask ChatGPT something about a web page you're looking at, you'll be prompted to send either a screenshot or full web page content to ChatGPT for an answer. For example, you can find a recipe online and ask chatGPT to summarize it, or take a photo of some ingredients and ask ChatGPT what dishes you can make with them. When looking at a photo in the Photos app, ask Siri to ask ChatGPT something about it and you'll be prompted to send the image to ChatGPT for analysis. With Apple Intelligence, any text box has the option to enable the Writing Tools menu (by tapping the Apple Intelligence button in Notes and some other rapps, or tapping-and-holding in a text entry area). But in iOS 18.2, you'll also see a "Compose" option at the bottom of the Writing Tools popup. Tap it and you'll be given a prompt where you can describe whatever you want ChatGPT to write. It can be a poem, a short invitation to a birthday party, a piece of fiction, or a technical document. When it's done you'll be able to able to type in the prompt window about ways to refine the output or have the option to just rewrite it from your original prompt. You'll even have a few one-tap suggestions from ChatGPT. ChatGPT's image generation works here, too! Just use a prompt that makes it clear you're looking for an image rather than text, such as the image below of "a sad puppy on a rainy day..." New to the iPhone 16 in iOS 18.2 is Visual Intelligence. Long-press the Camera Control button to launch a new camera search interface -- snap a picture of a business to see ratings and hours, of a common product to see a link to its website, of text to summarize or translate it, and more. Alongside the "Search" button., you'll see a persistent "Ask" button that will ask ChatGPT about what you're looking at. ChatGPT is able to identify lots of plants and animals, for example, and a text input box at the bottom of the screen lets you ask follow-up questions like "Is this poisonous," "How many calories does this have," or "Does this have good reviews?"

iOS 18.2: Everything You Can Do With ChatGPT Integration

With iOS 18.2, Apple introduced ChatGPT integration with Apple Intelligence to expand your iPhone's AI capabilities in several ways. When enabled, Siri can leverage ChatGPT for complex queries about photos and documents, and the integration also extends to Writing Tools for text and image generation, while Visual Intelligence helps identify objects and places using your iPhone's camera. No ChatGPT account is required to get started, but connecting a free or paid ChatGPT account unlocks additional features and more frequent access to advanced capabilities. This guide explains how to set up and make the most of these new features. Note that you must have an iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 16 model to use Apple Intelligence features in iOS 18.2. If you have Apple Intelligence enabled, setting up optional ChatGPT integration requires just a few steps, and you can begin without even having a ChatGPT account. You can always start with the basic setup and upgrade to a connected account later if needed (although you may never need to - more on that below). If you have a ChatGPT account (free or paid), you can optionally Sign In from this last screen using your account credentials. One benefit of doing this is that it allows you to retain a history of your chats and return to them later in the ChatGPT app or website. Remember that you do not need an account to use ChatGPT with Siri - it's completely free, but you may eventually hit OpenAI's daily limits for advanced capabilities, which use the latest GPT-4o model. After reaching these limits, the system switches to basic mode until 24 hours have passed. While it has not been confirmed, basic mode likely uses OpenAI's GPT-4o mini model, which handles most common requests more quickly, but the responses you get may be less detailed. However, in our tests there isn't too much difference between them when used within the context of daily iPhone usage. Apple says that when you use the ChatGPT extension without logging in, only your request and any attachments -- like documents or photos -- are sent to ChatGPT to process your query. OpenAI doesn't receive any information linked to your Apple Account, and your IP address remains hidden. Only your general location is shared. The combination of Siri and ChatGPT easily enhances the voice assistant's capabilities compared to what you will be used to. The integration works well for complex queries involving problem solving, writing assistance, detailed explanations, and step-by-step instructions. You'll find that responses are more detailed and context-aware compared to standard Siri capabilities. You can also ask ChatGPT a question about something on your screen, and Siri will offer to send a screenshot of it to ChatGPT or the full content as a file if it's a long document. Alternatively, you can save useful responses by invoking Siri and saying "Save this to my notes," which gives you a searchable archive of your conversations in Notes that persists after they end. This is especially useful if you aren't logged into ChatGPT and can't refer back to your account to see your chat history. With the advent of ChatGPT integration in iOS 18.2, Writing Tools has gained a new Compose option. This lets you describe what you'd like to write, and ChatGPT will create it for you. There have been reports about future Apple Intelligence integrations with AI chatbots like Google's Gemini and Anthropic's Claude, although no official announcements have been made yet. That said, Apple software chief Craig Federighi stated in June that he would like to see Gemini integration happen at some point.

Apple just brought ChatGPT to iPhones, iPads, and Macs. Here's how to make the most of it

This week, Apple rolled out its first significant update to its Apple Intelligence platform since it was launched in October. The initial Apple Intelligence launch focused primarily on artificial intelligence-powered writing tools and summarizing capabilities, which offered significant productivity benefits. But this week's update to Apple Intelligence takes a different approach. It focuses heavily on AI-powered image generation capabilities, including the ability to create custom emoji on the fly, which Apple calls "Genmoji," and a new Image Playground app that allows users to generate custom AI artwork using text prompts. However, the update includes another headline feature: ChatGPT integration with Siri and Apple Intelligence's writing tools. This integration arguably makes Apple Intelligence one of today's most potent AI platforms. It also makes the Mac, iPhone, and iPad more robust productivity tools than ever before. Here's how to use the new ChatGPT integration across your Apple devices. Siri has gotten smarter with Apple Intelligence, especially when surfacing personal info on your device (such as when you ask what your spouse's work phone number is). But when it comes to a broader body of knowledge about the outside world, Siri still pales in comparison to generative AI chatbots like ChatGPT.

ChatGPT and Apple Intelligence - 12 Days of OpenAI Day 5

With today's rollout of iOS 18.2, OpenAI has introduced a new integration of ChatGPT into Apple's ecosystem, bringing advanced AI capabilities to iOS, iPadOS, and macOS devices. Offering seamless access to AI-driven tools through Siri, enhanced writing features, and even camera-based visual intelligence. ChatGPT has officially joined Apple's ecosystem, seamlessly integrating with iPhones, iPads, and Macs to make your everyday tasks smarter, faster, and more intuitive. From enhancing Siri's capabilities to offering advanced writing tools and even camera-based visual intelligence, this integration is designed to meet you where you are, whether you're a busy professional, a curious learner, or just someone looking to make life a little easier. And the best part? It's all done with Apple's signature focus on privacy and user control, so you can embrace this new era of productivity and creativity without worrying about your data. ChatGPT is now embedded across Apple's ecosystem, creating a unified AI experience on iPhones, iPads, and Macs. Whether you're using Siri for quick tasks, using writing tools for professional documents, or using camera-based visual intelligence, ChatGPT is always accessible. This integration enables you to perform tasks such as drafting emails, analyzing data, or identifying objects with ease, all while preserving Apple's signature intuitive design. By integrating ChatGPT into Apple's ecosystem, you gain access to a versatile assistant that adapts to your needs. For instance, you can use it to automate repetitive tasks, enhance your writing, or even assist with real-time problem-solving. This seamless functionality ensures that your interactions with AI remain efficient and user-friendly. The collaboration between Siri and ChatGPT enhances Siri's functionality by allowing it to handle more complex tasks. For example, if you need to draft a detailed report or analyze a dataset, Siri can initiate the process and transfer it to ChatGPT for execution. This partnership allows you to complete intricate tasks without switching between multiple apps or tools. You remain in control throughout the interaction, as Siri prompts you to confirm before sharing any data with ChatGPT. This ensures transparency and user control, allowing you to benefit from AI-driven assistance while maintaining privacy. The enhanced capabilities of Siri, powered by ChatGPT, make it a more reliable and versatile tool for both personal and professional use. Unlock more potential in ChatGPT Apple Integration by reading previous articles we have written. ChatGPT's writing tools are designed to help you create, refine, and summarize content effortlessly. Whether you're drafting a business proposal, preparing a presentation, or brainstorming ideas, ChatGPT adapts to your specific needs. For instance, you can ask it to rephrase a paragraph for clarity, generate an outline for a project, or provide constructive feedback on your writing. These features are particularly valuable for professionals and students aiming to enhance their communication skills. By streamlining the writing process, ChatGPT allows you to focus on the substance of your work rather than the mechanics. This makes it an indispensable tool for anyone looking to improve productivity and achieve better results in their projects. On devices like the iPhone 16, ChatGPT extends its functionality to the camera, allowing advanced visual intelligence. By analyzing objects captured through your camera, ChatGPT can identify items, provide insights, or assist with tasks such as translating text in real time. This feature bridges the gap between the physical and digital worlds, offering practical applications for everyday scenarios. For example, you can use ChatGPT to identify a plant, translate a foreign sign while traveling, or compare product prices while shopping. This integration enhances the utility of your device, making it a valuable companion for learning, exploration, and problem-solving in real-world situations. Privacy remains a cornerstone of this integration, aligning with Apple's commitment to user security. You have the option to use ChatGPT anonymously or log in for access to enhanced features. Additionally, you retain full control over what data is shared, such as screenshots or documents, making sure that your interactions remain secure and tailored to your preferences. This emphasis on privacy provides peace of mind while using AI-powered tools. By maintaining transparency and offering customizable privacy settings, the integration ensures that you can confidently use ChatGPT without compromising your personal data. On macOS, ChatGPT integrates seamlessly into your desktop environment, offering versatile functionality across various applications. You can invoke it through Siri or use it within writing tools to enhance your productivity. For example, you can upload a document for analysis, receive feedback on a report, or generate visual aids like charts and graphs. This integration simplifies complex tasks, making it an invaluable tool for professionals working on detailed projects or data-heavy analyses. By embedding ChatGPT into macOS, Apple provides users with a powerful assistant that enhances both creativity and efficiency in the workplace. The integration of ChatGPT into Apple devices significantly boosts productivity by automating routine tasks and simplifying complex workflows. You can use it to organize your calendar, create playlists, or analyze documents with minimal effort. By reducing the time spent on manual tasks, ChatGPT allows you to focus on more meaningful activities. Whether you're managing a busy schedule or tackling a challenging project, ChatGPT's ability to automate and streamline processes makes it an essential tool for personal and professional use. Its versatility ensures that it can adapt to a wide range of needs, helping you achieve your goals more efficiently. Designed with user experience in mind, the integration ensures consistency across Apple's ecosystem. Features like saving conversations and resuming tasks within the ChatGPT app enhance usability, allowing you to pick up where you left off. Whether you're switching between your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, the cross-device compatibility ensures that your AI assistant is always accessible. This consistency not only improves convenience but also enhances the overall functionality of your devices. By providing a seamless and optimized user experience, the integration of ChatGPT into Apple's ecosystem sets a new standard for how AI can empower individuals in their daily lives. If you would like to learn more about how to use your iPhone, iPad or MacBook with ChatGPT. It might be worth your while jumping over to the official Apple support website. Or booking an appointment with an Apple Genius Bar representative who will be up to help you solve your issue or provide further advice in person.

OpenAI joins forces with Apple to bring ChatGPT to Siri -- here's what's new

The highlight of OpenAI's livestream today (December 11) was the deep integration of ChatGPT into Apple Intelligence, which is happening as part of the iOS 18.2 release. This integration transforms Siri into a more capable assistant by leveraging ChatGPT's advanced reasoning and language capabilities. Users with Apple Intelligence-capable iPhones running iOS 18.2 can now open Siri, ask it to analyze documents, and send tasks directly to ChatGPT for more detailed processing. That's provided they've gone to Settings on the iPhone to enable ChatGPT usage. During a demo, OpenAI showcased how Siri with ChatGPT can review a document such as a holiday playlist, answer questions about it, and edit in real time. This partnership with Apple enhances the functionality of Siri, allowing users to create project lists, generate music playlists, and even open ChatGPT's Canvas to customize outputs. The integration bridges the gap between Siri's on-device processing and OpenAI's advanced models. This integration also allows users to refine and expand outputs without switching between multiple tools. Another use case featured Visual Intelligence, another iOS 18.2 addition that works with iPhone 16 models and uses images captured by the camera to look up more information. In a Visual Intelligence demo, users snapped a photo of the livestream hosts in Christmas sweaters, asking ChatGPT to judge their outfits. The system not only delivered humorous commentary but demonstrated practical applications for visual understanding as to why one holiday sweater won over the others. (Sam Altman won, by the way.) This partnership between OpenAI and Apple signals a new era for virtual assistants. Siri, often criticized for its limited functionality, now benefits from ChatGPT's advanced AI capabilities, making it smarter, more versatile, and better equipped to handle complex requests. With this integration, users can access the best of both worlds: Apple Intelligence's on-device privacy and efficiency, combined with ChatGPT's expansive reasoning and creative potential. Tasks that once felt cumbersome -- like creating detailed project lists or reviewing technical documents -- are now streamlined into a few simple commands. Sam Altman summed it up perfectly during the live stream: "We are thrilled about this release. We hope you love it and are grateful to our friends at Apple." As AI continues to evolve, this partnership is a major step toward creating a seamless, AI-driven user experience across devices. From Siri's newfound capabilities with ChatGPT to Sora's innovative video generation and Canvas's powerful editing tools, OpenAI is setting a new standard for productivity and creativity. As a bonus, Sam Altman hinted at "faster image generation" in the near future. We can only hope to see it on the team's list of OpenAI's 12 Days of Announcements.

OpenAI rolls out ChatGPT for iPhone in landmark AI integration with Apple

Join our daily and weekly newsletters for the latest updates and exclusive content on industry-leading AI coverage. Learn More OpenAI demonstrated its new iPhone integration on Wednesday as iOS 18.2 rolled out to users, bringing ChatGPT directly into Siri, writing tools, and camera features. The feature update, shown off on day five of OpenAI's "12 Days of Shipmas" product launches, marks a rare opening of Apple's core iPhone features to outside software. ChatGPT can now process commands through Siri and handle tasks across the operating system. "When Siri thinks that it would be helped by giving a task over to ChatGPT, it can just hand it off," explained Dave Cummings, Engineering Manager for ChatGPT at OpenAI, during Wednesday's demonstration. The system works through three main paths: Siri voice commands, Writing Tools for text editing, and Visual Intelligence through the Camera Control button. Users can access basic ChatGPT features without an account, though premium capabilities require a subscription. Inside Apple's AI Strategy: Why the iPhone Maker Chose OpenAI Over Building Its Own The partnership addresses critical challenges for both companies. Apple, despite its $3 trillion market capitalization, has struggled to match competitors in AI development. Google's Gemini and Anthropic's Claude have demonstrated capabilities that surpass anything in Apple's current AI portfolio. "We really want to make ChatGPT as frictionless and easy to use everywhere," said Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, during Wednesday's press conference. "We love Apple devices, and so this integration is one that we're very, very proud of." The timing of this release could boost Apple's high-end device sales at a crucial moment. While the company doesn't break out AI-specific revenue, limiting these features to iPhone 15 Pro models and newer devices creates a compelling reason for consumers to upgrade. This strategy mirrors Apple's previous pattern of using advanced features -- like ProRAW photography or ProRes video -- to drive adoption of its premium devices, which carry margins estimated at over 60 percent. The move also positions Apple differently in the AI race. Rather than competing head-on with Google and Microsoft in building foundational AI models, Apple is leveraging partnerships to bring AI to its ecosystem while maintaining its focus on hardware and user experience. This approach could prove more profitable in the short term, as AI model training remains enormously expensive with uncertain returns. The $5 billion question: How OpenAI plans to monetize its million-user iPhone base For OpenAI, the partnership provides immediate access to Apple's installed base of over one billion iPhone users. This comes at a crucial time for the AI company, which is under pressure to generate revenue while managing massive computing costs. Recent reports indicate OpenAI's computing expenses could reach $5 billion annually by 2025. The partnership also arrives amid OpenAI's broader monetization push. The company recently announced a partnership with defense contractor Anduril and launched a $200-per-month ChatGPT Pro tier. OpenAI's CFO Sarah Friar has indicated the company is exploring advertising revenue streams. Corporate AI spending could shift as ChatGPT comes to enterprise iPhones For enterprise users, this integration represents more than just a new iPhone feature. Many companies have invested heavily in standalone AI solutions, often paying for multiple services like Jasper, Claude, or corporate ChatGPT licenses. Native iPhone AI integration could consolidate these tools, potentially reshaping how businesses approach mobile productivity. Companies might shift their enterprise software budgets from specialized AI applications to platforms that integrate seamlessly with Apple's ecosystem. The integration could also reshape the competitive landscape. Google, which pays Apple billions annually to remain the iPhone's default search engine, may need to reassess its mobile strategy. The search giant has already accelerated its AI efforts, recently launching Gemini across its products. Apple's privacy-first reputation influenced the integration's design. The system requires explicit user permission before sharing data with ChatGPT, and anonymous usage options preserve user privacy. All processing occurs on-device for basic features, with more advanced capabilities requiring cloud computation. The future of mobile AI: A new platform war begins The partnership highlights a broader shift in computing, where AI capabilities become as fundamental as operating systems themselves. We're seeing the emergence of a new platform war, but unlike the mobile OS battles of the 2000s, this one centers on AI integration. The stakes are higher: whoever controls the AI interface likely controls the primary way users will interact with technology for years to come. Apple's choice to partner rather than compete suggests they've learned from history -- sometimes being the platform that hosts the best services is more valuable than trying to build everything in-house. As part of its "12 Days of Shipmas" campaign, OpenAI has more announcements planned. But this Apple partnership may prove the most consequential, reshaping how a billion users interact with AI technology daily. Neither company is exchanging cash payments in the initial partnership, with Apple viewing the massive distribution potential of its devices as compensation enough for OpenAI. However, future revenue-sharing agreements are being explored, particularly around ChatGPT's premium subscriptions. For OpenAI, the deal offers something potentially priceless: seamless access to hundreds of millions of Apple devices. For Apple, it's a strategic play that keeps the company competitive in AI while maintaining flexibility to partner with other providers like Google and Anthropic -- suggesting that in the emerging AI platform wars, Apple is positioning itself not as a combatant, but as the battlefield itself.

Apple adds ChatGPT integration

SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) - Tech giant Apple rolled out major updates to its artificial intelligence (AI) offerings that integrate OpenAI's ChatGPT into its native applications, including Siri, on the iPhone. In a notable shift for the privacy-focused company, Apple has partnered with OpenAI to integrate ChatGPT into its Writing Tools and Siri virtual assistant, allowing users of the latest iPhone or iPad to access the AI chatbot without leaving Apple's ecosystem. The move, first announced in June, marks Apple's most significant push into generative AI, as the company aims to compete with rivals Google and Samsung, who have already integrated similar AI features into their Android-operated devices. Since OpenAI launched ChatGPT in 2022, Apple has been seeking to persuade doubters on its AI strategy, after Microsoft and Google rolled out products in rapid-fire succession. The ChatGPT features fall under the iPhone maker's "Apple Intelligence" system, which also includes an AI-powered image editing tool called Image Playground and an emoji generator dubbed Genmoji. Apple is initially rolling out the new AI functions to six English-speaking countries including the United States, Australia, Canada, and Britain. The company plans to add support for 11 more languages throughout the year, starting with an April software update.

OpenAI shows us how Apple Intelligence works with ChatGPT, which then promptly crashes

OpenAI's 12 Days of OpenAI day five involved a demo of ChatGPT working with Apple Intelligence. The demo invoked the holiday season by sharing gifts with Apple and wearing holiday sweaters on the live stream. The announcement twined with Apple's release of iOS 18.2 and served to remind everyone that ChatGPT and Apple Intelligence have several deep links. OpenAI's models are making Siri smarter while powering several of the new features introduced by Apple on the same day. Unfortunately, while OpenAI was celebrating its Apple integration, the fifth day was a bit marred as the ChatGPT service had a sizable outage. This meant that if you've been trying to use ChatGPT, Sora, APIs, or even Dall-E, right after the OpenAI announcement then you were hit with a currently unavailable screen or encountered errors when trying to do anything. The service is back up and running now. Apple pitches Apple Intelligence as a way of making its devices more creative and intuitive to use. That includes many apps and tools on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. Most notably, ChatGPT integration with Siri changes the voice assistant in remarkable ways. The AI helps answer complex questions for Siri to match its more natural, fluid conversations. Instead of getting short, robotic answers, you can ask detailed questions and get thoughtful, context-aware responses. The demonstration by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, product team member Miqdad Jaffer, and engineering manager Dave Cummings showcased how Siri could use ChatGPT to review documents and answer questions about it, with the answers coming from Apple's assistant. They also showed how you can send information right to ChatGPT to dive deeper and how Siri can now open different ChatGPT tools like Canvas and DALL-E. The presenters then had Siri review the most recent ChatGPT model card, asking the voice assistant about the model's coding abilities, and then had Siri send the response to the ChatGPT app to code a program visualizing those abilities. For OpenAI, this collaboration is a reminder that ChatGPT is ready to play a central role in mainstream tech. Apple Intelligence is making ChatGPT part of the daily experience for Apple users. And in return, Apple also gets a better shot at keeping pace with competitors like Google Gemini and other rivals. The festive sweaters worn by the presenters served an additional demonstration purpose, too. Using Apple Visual Intelligence, they had Siri process a photo of them in their sweaters, then had ChatGPT, via Apple Visual Intelligence, award one of them with the best sweater. Altman won.

OpenAI Teases 'Super Secret AGI'

On the fifth day of 12 Days of OpenAI, Sam Altman and co. took the opportunity to demonstrate how ChatGPT seamlessly integrates into the native AI experience inside an iPhone and a Mac. While the main announcement took centerstage, OpenAI intrigued its fans and users with an easter egg. On the iPhone used for the demo, a calendar event titled 'Super Secret AGI' seems to be scheduled. On the surface, it might look like an inside joke or vision to achieve AGI in the near future. Who knows? It is indeed possible that all of OpenAI's announcements, cumulatively at the end of the 12 days, might give a sense of clarity as to what artificial general intelligence will look like and feel. Simply put, if people aren't feeling the AGI yet, we don't know what AGI really is. For instance, OpenAI's recent release of its video generation model, Sora, gives an early glimpse of AGI -- one frame at a time. This new model from the company -- now accessible to Pro and Plus users -- is leveraging video as a medium for training models in real-world logic and dynamics. "We're just scratching the surface of what's possible," said Sam Altman. Apple has released the latest iOS/iPadOS 18.2 and the macOS Sequoia update, which includes an updated feature set for Apple Intelligence. These include the Image Playground, Genmoji, an upgrade for the Writing Tools, and Siri - which are now powered by ChatGPT. Siri can now fetch information and respond to a user's query using ChatGPT - but only when the user specifically asks it to use ChatGPT. The new Compose features let one access ChatGPT to generate text content on any writing tool across the system. Moreover, ChatGPT also aids the Visual Intelligence feature, which provides context to images from the user's real-world environment. The new Camera Control button on the iPhone 16 Pro allows the user to quickly open up Visual Intelligence. On the Mac, OpenAI also demonstrated using Siri with ChatGPT to ask questions based on a 49-page PDF document. ChatGPT is available as an opt-in-only extension inside Apple Intelligence settings. One doesn't necessarily need an account to use ChatGPT in Apple Intelligence. Most importantly, Apple Intelligence is now available with localised English support for Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, and the U.K. - while the official release for English (India) is set to be launched soon. Apple's partnership with OpenAI is interesting, as it has been reported that the Cupertino giant isn't paying OpenAI anything for the integration of ChatGPT on its devices. Rather, Apple sees value in adding ChatGPT to millions of iPhone, iPad and Mac users across the globe. It was also said that Apple was granted a board observer role at OpenAI, which was soon dropped after a few weeks. Furthermore, in October, Apple also reportedly backed out of OpenAI's $6 billion funding round. Other features focus on adding text to visual tools to Apple devices. The Image Playground lets users generate images with styles and illustrations of their own and also supports creating visuals 'likeness of a family member or friend using photos'. Similarly, Genmoji lets the user create an emoji using a prompt, and like Image Playground, it allows using photos to create an emoji resembling real people. That said, Apple is still lagging behind Google in their AI offerings. More so, given the fact that Google dropped huge updates to Gemini 2.0. While it is only available via the API for developers, it will surely arrive for Pixel devices and other Android phones in due time. Although still in the testing stages, Project Astra received several upgrades, which now execute prompts inside tools like Google Search, Maps and Lens. The feature has been thoroughly tested on Android phones since it was launched at Google I/O this year. When it arrives on Android devices, Apple will have to seriously pull its socks up!