Apple is apparently stepping back from the funding round of OpenAI.
Don't worry, they are still friends.
Apple and OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, are going through a complicated period in their relationship. It has been reported that Apple has decided not to continue negotiations to invest in OpenAI's latest funding round. This turn of events has come as a surprise, given that the discussions were scheduled to conclude in the coming days.
Despite the disappointment this may cause in some circles, it is not unusual to see Apple take a cautious approach in the realm of investments and acquisitions, especially compared to other tech giants. Apple tends to be reluctant to invest in Silicon Valley companies. In contrast, Microsoft and Nvidia continue to show interest in OpenAI. Microsoft, for its part, intends to inject an additional $1 billion on top of the already invested $13 billion, which has allowed the company to access OpenAI's Language Models and enhance its own artificial intelligence tools.
Additionally, the venture capital firm Thrive Capital is set to invest approximately $1 billion, and Tiger Global Management and MGX are also in talks to contribute financially. However, there is still time for new investors to come forward in the coming days.
Despite this break in investment negotiations, it is worth noting that the collaboration between Apple and OpenAI remains intact. During the WWDC event in June, Apple announced its partnership with OpenAI to integrate ChatGPT features into the iOS 18 update. As Craig Federighi, Apple’s Senior Vice President, mentioned, it’s about "artificial intelligence for the rest of us."
