In a recent post on X, Elon Musk expressed his disapproval of Apple devices, including the iPhone, iPad, and Mac computers, due to security concerns stemming from Apple’s partnership with OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT. Musk, who previously had a legal dispute with OpenAI, threatened to ban the use of Apple products at his companies and require visitors to check their Apple devices at the door in a Faraday cage.
Despite Musk’s claims, members of his social media fact-checking community have called into question the accuracy and validity of his statements. While Musk’s security concerns are based on speculative assumptions, Apple and OpenAI have reassured users about the privacy protections in place for integrating ChatGPT into Apple Intelligence.
Although Musk withdrew his lawsuit against OpenAI, concerns persist over his claims and motives regarding the Apple-OpenAI partnership. Apple has yet to comment on Musk’s remarks or the integration of ChatGPT into its hardware and software features, which are set to be released this fall.
Experts like Matthew Green, an associate professor of computer science at Johns Hopkins University, have refuted Musk’s assertion that OpenAI is being integrated at the operating system level. According to Green, Apple’s approach provides users with the choice to opt into the ChatGPT feature, meaning it is not an embedded default system as Musk suggests.
As Apple and OpenAI continue to disclose additional details about their collaboration, it remains to be seen how Musk’s claims will hold up against the factual information provided by the tech companies.