Apple will soon integrate ChatGPT in iOS 18.2 to bring users a smarter Siri experience. The editor of Downcodes learned that the iOS 18.2 beta version has added a ChatGPT Plus subscription option for US$20 per month, which allows users to upgrade and enjoy more advanced features, such as using the latest models, advanced voice modes, and higher image and message generation limits. . This move may attract a large number of Apple users to pay, but the profit model of Apple and OpenAI is still worthy of attention.
Apple recently announced that it will include OpenAI’s ChatGPT in the upcoming iOS 18.2 version. This update is expected to be officially launched in December, when users will be able to experience smarter Siri and other features.
According to the latest news, the beta version of iOS 18.2 has added an option to upgrade to ChatGPT Plus directly in the settings, which will provide users with an easy way to subscribe to OpenAI’s paid service for $20 per month.
This change may attract a large number of Apple users to sign up for ChatGPT Plus, because the free version has more limited functions. Free users do not have access to OpenAI's latest models (such as o1-preview), nor can they enjoy advanced features such as advanced speech modes. In addition, users of the free version can only generate two images of DALL-E per day, and the number of messages they can send is also limited. Therefore, many users may choose to pay for a subscription to get a better experience.
Regarding the cooperation between Apple and OpenAI, there are still questions about the profit model of both parties. Although it is reported that Apple did not directly pay for this integration, they achieved a win-win by increasing OpenAI's exposure. By adding the ChatGPT Plus upgrade option in the settings, Apple hopes to effectively drive user registrations and thereby bring more paying users to OpenAI. If user registration is not active, OpenAI will face an influx of new free users, which may lead to a significant increase in its AI inference costs.
Additionally, it's unclear whether Apple will take a commission from those who sign up for ChatGPT Plus through the Settings app. Apple seems to be hoping to attract more customers by offering advanced AI features, thereby boosting sales of new phones. Apple also stated that it will integrate AI models from other developers in the future, possibly including Google’s Gemini, to further enrich the intelligence of its products.
Against this background, OpenAI is raising a new round of financing and is facing the problem of frequent executive departures. According to reports, Apple originally planned to participate in OpenAI’s latest $6.6 billion financing, but after the departure of OpenAI Chief Technology Officer Mira Murati (Mira Murati), Apple chose to withdraw.
Apple's move is intended to improve user experience and enhance the competitiveness of the iOS system, but its cooperation model and long-term development with OpenAI remain to be seen. In the future, whether Apple will profit from ChatGPT Plus subscriptions and the progress of cooperation with other AI models will affect its strategic layout in the AI field.