Apple and Meta, two tech giants with a long-standing rivalry, have reportedly held discussions about integrating Meta's generative AI model into Apple Intelligence, Apple's new AI system for iPhones and other devices. According to multiple sources including The Wall Street Journal and Investing.com, the partnership would allow Meta to take advantage of Apple's massive distribution through its devices.
Apple has been developing its own smaller artificial-intelligence models but plans to turn to partners for more complex or specific tasks. OpenAI's ChatGPT was announced as the first partner for Apple Intelligence, and Google's Gemini, Anthropic, and Perplexity are also reportedly in discussions with Apple.
Under the terms of these deals, users could choose which external AI models they want to use in addition to Apple's internal systems. OpenAI will offer a free version of ChatGPT through Apple Intelligence, but users can also link a premium ChatGPT account for additional features.
The negotiations between Apple and Meta have been ongoing for at least six months, according to reports from 9to5Mac and The Wall Street Journal. If the deal goes through, it would mark a significant shift in the tech industry as Apple continues to expand its AI capabilities.
Apple Intelligence is expected to be available later this year as part of iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia updates. It will initially be available in US English for iPhone 15 Pro and iPad and Mac models with the M1 chip or later. Support for additional languages and regions will roll out gradually over time.
The integration of external AI models into Apple Intelligence is a strategic move by Apple to offer users more choices and capabilities, while also keeping costs down by not developing all the technology in-house. The partnerships with Meta, Google, Anthropic, and Perplexity could potentially lead to new revenue streams for these companies through premium subscriptions sold through Apple Intelligence.
It's important to note that while these reports suggest a potential partnership between Apple and Meta, nothing has been officially confirmed by either company. The negotiations are ongoing and the deals may still fall through. However, if they do go through, they could have significant implications for both companies and the tech industry as a whole.