OpenAI is reportedly considering legal action against Apple over their recent collaboration issues. The company is frustrated with how the integration of ChatGPT into Apple’s ecosystem has played out. Instead of boosting subscriptions and visibility as hoped, OpenAI feels the partnership has been mishandled and its features buried.

What Went Wrong with the Apple Partnership

The partnership was announced during Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference in June 2024. OpenAI integrated ChatGPT into iOS as part of Siri and the Visual Intelligence feature, allowing users to analyze surroundings and send photos to ChatGPT. Industry expectations were high, with OpenAI hoping this would generate billions in new revenue and increase its presence on one of the world’s most used mobile platforms.

However, reports suggest that the integration was poorly executed. OpenAI executives complain that the features are hard to find and underpromoted. Revenue from the partnership is also far below initial projections. OpenAI has reportedly grown increasingly irritated, feeling betrayed by the lack of support and visibility on Apple devices.

Potential Legal Action and Apple’s Grievances

OpenAI has hired an external law firm to explore options, including sending Apple a breach-of-contract notice. But any legal steps might be delayed until after OpenAI’s ongoing trial with Elon Musk, which accuses the company of abandoning its nonprofit roots and operating in bad faith. The move signals serious tension between the two companies.

Apple, for its part, has its own issues with OpenAI. Sources say Apple is concerned about OpenAI’s privacy standards and is irritated by OpenAI’s push into hardware development. This hardware effort is led by former Apple executives, including Jony Ive, adding to the friction. It shows how complex and fragile these big tech partnerships can be.

This isn’t the first time Apple has had rocky relationships with partners. The company famously replaced Google Maps with Apple Maps in 2012 after a major failure. Apple has also had conflicts with Adobe, refusing support for Flash, and with Spotify, which accused Apple of anti-competitive behavior in the App Store. Sometimes, these disputes get resolved, but they often leave scars.

Interestingly, Apple has recently partnered with Google for AI infrastructure, paying around one billion dollars annually for the Gemini models. This shows how Apple prefers strategic alliances that benefit its ecosystem, even if it means partnering with rivals.

OpenAI’s recent struggles mirror its tense relationships with other big players. Elon Musk’s lawsuit against OpenAI is ongoing, accusing the company of betraying its original mission. Meanwhile, OpenAI is pushing for more independence from Microsoft, its main supporter, as it prepares for an IPO. The tech world remains full of shifting alliances and rivalries.

In the end, this situation highlights how tricky it can be for software companies to work with Apple’s tightly controlled platform. While the iPhone offers huge growth opportunities, Apple often exerts strong control, which can frustrate partners. Only time will tell if OpenAI’s legal moves will change anything or if the partnership will simply fade away.

Inspired by

• https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/14/openai-is-reportedly-preparing-legal-action-against-apple-it-wouldnt-be-the-first-partner-to-feel-burned/

Sources

• bloomberg.com
• newslang.ch