TLDR

  • Elon Musk has threatened to ban Apple devices at his companies if Apple integrates OpenAI at the operating system level.

  • Musk called the potential integration an “unacceptable security violation” and said visitors would have to store their Apple devices in a Faraday cage.

  • Apple announced a partnership with OpenAI to bring ChatGPT technology to its devices, stressing that it would ask for user permission and keep data private and secure.

  • Musk questioned Apple’s decision to partner with OpenAI instead of building its own AI model, suggesting that Apple cannot ensure OpenAI will protect user security and privacy.

  • Musk’s aversion to ChatGPT likely stems from his ongoing dispute with OpenAI, the company he co-founded in 2015, as he filed a lawsuit against them in March for allegedly straying from their original mission.

Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur behind Tesla, SpaceX, and Twitter, has issued a warning to Apple following the tech giant’s announcement of a partnership with OpenAI to integrate ChatGPT technology into its devices.

Musk has threatened to ban Apple devices at his companies if the integration occurs at the operating system level, calling it an “unacceptable security violation.”

During Apple’s 2024 Worldwide Developers Conference, the company revealed “Apple Intelligence,” a suite of generative AI features set to be rolled out to iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia later this year.

One of the key features involves Apple’s voice assistant, Siri, relaying user questions to ChatGPT when necessary, with user permission and data privacy measures in place.

However, Musk remains skeptical of Apple’s ability to ensure user privacy and security when partnering with a third-party AI provider like OpenAI. In a series of posts on Twitter, Musk questioned Apple’s decision to outsource AI development instead of creating its own model, stating,

“It’s patently absurd that Apple isn’t smart enough to make their own AI, yet is somehow capable of ensuring that OpenAI will protect your security and privacy.”

The Tesla CEO went as far as to say that visitors to his companies’ premises would be required to store their Apple devices in a Faraday cage, a structure designed to block electromagnetic fields, to prevent potential security breaches.

If Apple integrates OpenAI at the OS level, then Apple devices will be banned at my companies. That is an unacceptable security violation.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 10, 2024

Musk’s strong stance against the Apple-OpenAI partnership likely stems from his ongoing dispute with OpenAI, the company he co-founded in 2015 alongside Sam Altman and others.

In March, Musk filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and Altman, accusing the company of straying from its original mission to develop artificial general intelligence (AGI) for the benefit of humanity, rather than for profit.

The lawsuit came after Musk had repeatedly spoken out against OpenAI, despite having played a crucial role in the company’s early stages.

In May, Musk claimed credit for OpenAI’s creation, stating that it wouldn’t exist without him and that he was instrumental in recruiting key scientists and engineers.

In response to Musk’s lawsuit, OpenAI released internal emails suggesting that Musk was also motivated by financial considerations, with the billionaire allegedly pushing for a larger funding commitment to compete with the likes of Google and Facebook.

As the integration of AI into consumer devices becomes increasingly prevalent, concerns around data privacy and security have come to the forefront.

While Apple has stressed that its implementation of ChatGPT technology will prioritize user privacy, with permission-based access and data encryption, Musk’s strong reaction highlights the growing tension between tech giants and the need for transparent, secure AI development.

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