Musk Threatens to Ban Apple Devices Over OpenAI Siri Integration
Elon Musk threatens to ban iPhones from his companies if Apple integrates OpenAI into its operating system, despite Apple's explicit opt-in privacy measures.
Elon Musk threatens to ban Apple devices from all of his companies over Apple's newly announced ChatGPT integration in iOS 18. He states on X that visitors to Tesla, SpaceX, and xAI facilities will have to check their Apple devices at the door, where he plans to store them in a Faraday cage. This dramatic reaction stems from Apple's WWDC 2024 announcement regarding a new Siri feature powered by OpenAI.
Despite Apple and OpenAI explicitly stating that the system asks for user permission before sending any questions, photos, or documents to ChatGPT, Musk argues that this integration violates user privacy. He insists that Apple handing data over to a third-party artificial intelligence constitutes "creepy spyware." Musk even directly replies to Apple CEO Tim Cook to reiterate his threat, demanding that Apple stop the integration.
Industry observers point out that Musk's arguments misrepresent how the ChatGPT integration actually functions. Tech experts note that the opt-in process makes the Siri integration function essentially the same way as the standalone ChatGPT app, while Apple's native on-device AI models rely on the company's own Private Cloud. Musk remains unconvinced, declaring that Apple should leave OpenAI's capabilities confined to a dedicated app rather than building them into the operating system.