Billionaire Elon Musk could ban iPhones, iPads, and MacBooks at his companies over Apple's newly-announced plan to integrate ChatGPT into its latest operating systems. The Tesla and SpaceX executive blasted the decision as an "unacceptable security violation" and accused Apple of handing over user data to OpenAI, the start-up firm behind the chatbot, which has a close relationship with Microsoft for its Copilot assistant.
Elon Musk was an early investor in OpenAI to the tune of $50 million. However, the 52-year-old later ended his relationship with the Artificial Intelligence (AI) start-up.
And visitors will have to check their Apple devices at the door, where they will be stored in a Faraday cage
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 10, 2024
As part of its latest developer conference, known as WWDC, Apple said that alongside its new Apple Intelligence system that'll allow iPhone, iPad, and MacBook to access generative AI-powered tools almost anywhere within their devices via Siri.
Writing on X, Mr Musk said: "If Apple integrates OpenAI at the OS level, then Apple devices will be banned at my companies. That is an unacceptable security violation. And visitors will have to check their Apple devices at the door, where they will be stored in a Faraday cage."
In a further post, he added: "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 & privacy! Apple has no clue what’s actually going on once they hand your data over to OpenAI. They’re selling you down the river."
Apple has been approached for comment in response to Elon Musk’s claims.
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 & privacy!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 10, 2024
Apple has no clue what’s actually going on once they hand your data over to OpenAI. They’re selling you down the river.
During its announcement, CEO Tim Cook said that users will always need to grant permission before any request is shared with OpenAI. No requests will be stored, IP addresses will be masked, and users on Apple devices will not need to sign up for an account with OpenAI, Apple added.
Readers rushed to explain this to X boss Elon Musk, using the Community Notes feature to explain how Apple has developed new systems to protect iPhone owners' data when using the ChatGPT model.
This isn't the first intervention from the Boring Company executive around AI. Musk lambasted one of the standout features of Microsoft's new range of Copilot+ PCs, known as Recall. The functionality takes thousands of screenshots — known as snapshots — to create a photographic memory for your PC.
"This is a Black Mirror episode. Definitely turning this 'feature' off," the Tesla and SpaceX executive posted on his social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. Musk — who regularly tops the list as the richest person on the planet, depending on the strength of Tesla's share price — shared a clip with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella talking about the functionality of Recall in Windows 11.
Users on X were quick to respond to the post from Elon Musk.
"Uhhhh sounds like surveillance repackaged as a feature," one person shared in relation to the Windows 11 tweet, while another joked: "Did the CIA come up with this?"
"So, a built-in screen recorder. Because that's not a security risk. You gotta give them credit, though; they took malware and made it into a 'feature'," one sceptical user on X shared in response to the post.
Recall isn't enabled by default, so there's no need to switch-off the feature as recommended by Elon Musk. When you set-up your Windows 11 machine, you'll be asked whether you want to take advantage of Recall, but it won't be taking screenshots in the background out-of-the-box.
When Apple's own Artificial Intelligence models can't do the trick, Siri is able to send requests to ChatGPT. The chatty AI assistant will always check before it sends any data to the OpenAI system
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In response to the backlash, Microsoft announced several changes to Recall — disabling the feature for millions by default. Like the incoming iOS 18, macOS Sequoia, and iPadOS 18, Windows 11 tightly integrates ChatGPT-4o into its operating system to offer writing tips, dream-up travel itineraries, recipes, and computer code.
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Elon Musk has a fractious relationship with OpenAI – he was a founder of the company, but has since turned against it and accused it of failing to follow its founding principles. He has even sued the company, claiming it has abandoned its original mission to instead focus on profit, something OpenAI has denied.
The SpaceX boss is also now a direct rival to OpenAI, with Mr Musk having created his own AI firm – xAI – which has created Grok, a chatbot designed to take on ChatGPT.
Additional Reporting By Martyn Landi, PA Technology Correspondent
