OpenAI Considers Legal Action Against Apple

OpenAI is considering legal action after its ChatGPT integration with Apple failed to deliver the results it expected. According to Bloomberg, the company has hired an outside law firm and is currently reviewing a breach of contract notice rather than moving straight to a lawsuit. Actual action is likely to be delayed until after the trial with Elon Musk concludes.

The partnership in question was announced at WWDC in June 2024, with ChatGPT integrated into Siri and the iPhone's Visual Intelligence feature. OpenAI had expected this to drive a large influx of subscriptions, but has grown frustrated that the feature isn't well surfaced and that revenue has fallen short of projections.

Apple is also reported to be uncomfortable with OpenAI's privacy standards and its hardware push led by former Apple design chief Jony Ive. Clashes between Apple and its partners have recurred repeatedly. Notable examples include:

• Google Maps was replaced by Apple Maps in 2012, becoming a representative case of conflict.
• Flash was dropped from support on the iPhone and iPad after Steve Jobs's open letter in 2010, effectively disappearing from mobile.
• Spotify raised issues over App Store discrimination, and the EU fined Apple roughly 1.8 billion euros in March 2024.

Conversely, Google became Apple's AI infrastructure partner in January 2026, signing a multi-year deal to power Apple Intelligence with Gemini models, with Apple reportedly paying about $1 billion annually. OpenAI's relationship with Microsoft has also reportedly grown tense recently, as the company pushes for greater independence ahead of its IPO.