Elon Musk threatens to ban iPhones and Apple devices

In a bold move that could shake up the tech industry, Elon Musk has issued a stark ultimatum to Apple, threatening to ban its devices across his companies if the iPhone maker proceeds with plans to integrate OpenAI technology into its operating system.

Apple recently announced intentions to embed OpenAI’s capabilities into iPhones, allowing Siri to hand off certain queries to ChatGPT, OpenAI’s advanced language model. This move, however, has drawn sharp criticism from Musk, who labeled it an “unacceptable security violation.”

“If Apple integrates OpenAI at the OS level, then Apple devices will be banned at my companies,” Musk declared on X, the platform he owns, formerly known as Twitter. He went on to outline stringent measures, stating, “Visitors will have to check their Apple devices at the door, where they will be stored in a Faraday cage,” effectively neutralizing their wireless capabilities.

This ban would extend across Musk’s ventures, impacting high-profile entities like SpaceX and Tesla, in addition to X.

Apple had previously disclosed plans for this integration to be rolled out later this year, with OpenAI confirming its technology would play a pivotal role within the operating system. Both companies emphasized robust privacy protections, assuring users that requests sent to OpenAI wouldn’t be stored, and IP addresses would remain obscured.

The integration promises significant enhancements to Siri’s functionality, enabling it to process queries, documents, and photos more effectively through ChatGPT. It will also introduce “Writing Tools,” allowing users to generate content or rephrase documents using AI-driven tools.

This development, part of Apple’s broader “Apple Intelligence” initiative, signals a deeper collaboration between Apple’s proprietary technologies and those of OpenAI. Notably, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman was present at Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference where these features were unveiled, although he did not appear during the formal presentations.

The tension between Musk and OpenAI dates back to his founding involvement in the company in 2015. Over time, Musk’s relationship with OpenAI has soured, with allegations of the organization prioritizing profits over its original mission. Musk has since pursued legal action against OpenAI and Sam Altman, accusing them of deviating from ethical standards set at the company’s inception. OpenAI has vehemently denied these allegations.

As the standoff unfolds, the tech world watches closely to see how Apple and OpenAI navigate Musk’s ultimatum and the implications it could have for the future of AI integration and corporate dynamics in Silicon Valley.