No cash, just exposure: Apple's unique deal to bring ChatGPT to its platforms

Apple announced at WWDC that OpenAI’s ChatGPT is coming to iOS 18. But Apple isn’t paying OpenAI to make it happen and OpenAI isn’t paying Apple anything for the integration. According to a new report from Bloomberg, the partnership is about exposure for OpenAI over cash.

Apple has been working closely with OpenAI to bring ChatGPT to iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia. ChatGPT will be available at no cost for users who choose to opt in, with ChatGPT Plus subscribers able to sign in to their accounts to unlock additional features.

Apple isn’t paying OpenAI as part of the partnership. Instead, Apple believes pushing OpenAI’s brand and technology to hundreds of millions of its devices is of equal or greater value than monetary payments, these people said.

In the future, the Bloomberg report says that Apple wants to ink revenue-sharing deals with AI companies. In an arrangement like this, Apple would get “a cut from AI partners that monetize results in chatbots on Apple platforms.”

The ChatGPT functionality is launching in beta on iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia in the fall. Initially, it will be available in a limited number of regions and languages.