Elon Musk has recently threatened to ban Apple devices from his companies, including Tesla and SpaceX, if Apple integrates OpenAI’s technology at the operating system (OS) level.
This threat comes in response to Apple’s announcement at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2024, where they revealed a partnership with OpenAI to integrate ChatGPT into iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS 15 Sequoia.
Musk, a co-founder of OpenAI who has since become a critic, expressed significant security concerns over this integration. He labeled it an “unacceptable security violation” and stated that if Apple proceeds with this integration, Apple devices would be banned from his companies.
Visitors to his companies would be required to check their Apple devices at the door, where they would be stored in a Faraday cage to prevent any electromagnetic interference.
Apple has responded by emphasizing that the integration with OpenAI’s ChatGPT would be optional and that user permissions would be required before any data is shared with OpenAI.
They also assured that privacy protections are built-in, such as obscuring IP addresses and not storing user requests. Despite these reassurances, Musk remains skeptical about Apple’s ability to protect user data and has demanded that Apple CEO Tim Cook halt the integration.
This conflict highlights the broader concerns about user privacy and data security in the rapidly evolving AI landscape, as well as the competitive tensions between major tech companies.