A few days ago at WWDC 2024, Apple unveiled its foray into AI with Apple Intelligence, and with this new feature comes a partnership with ChatGPT.
Instead of going down the Gemini route like Google, Apple is using an already existing and popular large language model (LLM) from OpenAI to help bring generative AI features to its users.
ChatGPT will be integrated into experiences within iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia, Apple said Siri can tap into ChatGPT’s expertise when helpful.
In terms of privacy, the Cupertino giant noted:
Users are asked before any questions are sent to ChatGPT, along with any documents or photos, and Siri then presents the answer directly. Privacy protections are built in for users who access ChatGPT — their IP addresses are obscured, and OpenAI won’t store requests. ChatGPT’s data-use policies apply for users who choose to connect their account.
This partnership has raised eyebrows and concerns over users’ data and whether it will now be used to feed Open AI’s LLM. Even Elon Musk spat the dummy over it. Earlier today, we discovered Apple didn’t pay OpenAI for its ChatGPT but instead will offer its lucrative user base aka iPhone, iPad and Mac users instead of cash.
The ChatGPT creator is hoping this partnership will turn more Apple users into ChatGPT Plus users, which starts at $US20 a month.
Gizmodo Australia spoke to Charles Darwin University AI expert Associate Professor Niusha Shafiabady about the risks associated with this partnership and whether Apple users should be concerned.
Sadly, for users, there may be a loss of privacy. Shafiabady said with this partnership users will have a personal assistant but in exchange for losing their privacy.
“Maintaining privacy is a personal choice,” she said.
“Some people don’t mind sharing every aspect of their lives publicly but the people who mind this should be aware of the risks and the truth behind using these types of tools.”
Shafiabady explained one of the risks is that Apple users’ data can be used as a source for training the generative AI models.
“This means the privacy is not maintained and it could cause security breaches if it is accessed by malicious actors through hacks. By time, the AIs will get to learn every user’s patterns of behaviour,” she explained.
“In the long run, this information could be used to manipulate people in committing to using different types of products and even purchasing things.”
While ChatGPT has a free option (and some paid tiers), eventually Shafiabady said we will be paying for these tools. Which mentioned already, was OpenAI’s plan already.
“I believe when these tools have enough users, they won’t be free anymore and people will have to pay to use them. So, we are trading out privacy for a cool service that we eventually have to pay for in one form or another,” she said.
Once a user accepts the privacy notice of a product, there is not much we can do, Shafiabady said.
“By clicking accept, we agree that they can use our data and share it for providing us with different recommendations such as the ‘personal Artificial Intelligence’ mentioned by Apple’s CEO Tim Cook,” she ended.
Missed all the WWDC 2024 news? Read all the announcements here.
Image: Getty Images/Apple