Apple has reportedly strengthened its partnership with OpenAI by securing a seat on its board. As reported by Bloomberg, Phil Schiller, the head of the App Store and former marketing head at Apple, will join the board as an observer.
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Schiller’s role as an observer will provide Apple with a vantage point to have a good understanding of OpenAI’s workings, just like Microsoft, the main investor in OpenAI. Although Schiller will not have voting rights, his attendance in board meetings suggests Apple’s growing interest in AI technologies.
Phil Schiller observes OpenAI operations
Being one of the key executives at Apple since Steve Jobs’ return in 1997, Schiller’s appointment to the board is a clear indication of the significance of the partnership that apple has with OpenAI. His position will entail sitting in on meetings and offering opinions, but he will not be making decisions.
Apple recently concluded its World Wide Developer’s Conference (WWDC) and has just appointed Schiller to its board. At the event, Apple announced that it would also be incorporating the use of OpenAI’s ChatGPT chatbot in its devices. This integration is supposed to improve Siri’s functionality and make it capable of controlling apps, rewriting emails, and summarizing notifications.
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The development underlines a continuous effort of Apple to enhance its AI features and remain relevant in an increasingly significant market. While Microsoft has been providing OpenAI with billions of dollars, Apple seems to be leveraging its partnership with OpenAI more, by providing OpenAI with access to the large crowds of Apple users.
Apple’s presence on OpenAI’s board of directors can be a problem for Microsoft. Since both tech companies are now represented, it may be necessary for Schiller to leave future discussions of AI projects for the two companies. Bloomberg posits that this situation may cause some difficulties due to the fact that both companies are also defining their approach to AI.
Schiller’s appointment is significant in this case because it is unusual for executives of Apple to join other companies’ boards. This decision points to Apple’s commitment to the use of AI in its future plans and its commitment to being at the top of the AI race.
OpenAI pledges support to India’s AI mission
Compared to other tech companies, Apple has been quite reserved in its approach towards AI. As for generative AI, after the release of ChatGPT by OpenAI in 2022, Apple has been rather cautious in its actions. The company’s first-quarter results revealed a 2% growth, while the company’s ten-year attempt to venture into the electric vehicle market was fruitless.
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OpenAI’s engagement in the AI sector extends beyond its collaboration with Apple. Speaking at the Global India AI Summit 2024, Srinivas Narayanan, the vice-president of OpenAI, assured the company’s support towards India AI Mission and application development. Narayanan also stressed the significance of the Indian market to OpenAI’s future prognosis and urged that the dialogue with India’s Union Ministry of Information and Technology should remain open regarding possible business ventures.
Cryptopolitan Reporting by Brenda Kanana
