level: business
openai is reportedly frustrated with apple over a chatgpt integration that did not deliver expected subscribers or visibility. bloomberg reported that openai has hired an outside law firm to examine its options, which could include a formal breach-of-contract notice. any legal move would likely wait until after openai's trial with elon musk concludes. the partnership, announced in june 2024, embedded chatgpt into siri and visual intelligence on iphones, but openai says the features are buried and hard to find.
apple has a history of strained relationships with partners. google maps was removed from iphones in 2012 and replaced with apple maps, leading to a public apology from ceo tim cook. adobe's flash was blocked by steve jobs in 2010, effectively ending its mobile presence. spotify fought apple for years over app store rules, resulting in a €1.8 billion fine from the european commission in 2024. these cases show how apple's control over its platform can clash with partners' goals.
openai's own partnership tensions extend beyond apple. elon musk's lawsuit accuses openai of abandoning its nonprofit mission, and the company has navigated friction with microsoft as it seeks more independence before a potential ipo. meanwhile, google has become apple's ai infrastructure partner, paying roughly $1 billion a year to power apple intelligence with gemini models. this deal highlights how commercial interests can sometimes overcome past disputes between apple and its partners.
why it matters: the dispute shows how platform control can limit ai distribution and revenue, affecting partnerships between ai developers and device makers.