Apple is considering a direct investment in OpenAI that could be worth billions of dollars as both companies continue to forge a close relationship, according to a new report from the Wall Street Journal.
The investment in the ChatGPT maker is part of a fundraising round that OpenAI hopes to value the company at more than $100 billion. The round, managed by Thrive Capital, is expected to raise several billion dollars from multiple investors besides Apple, including Nvidia and Microsoft.
The amount of money that Apple is willing to invest in OpenAI remains unknown at this point. On the other hand, Microsoft already possesses a significant stake in the AI startup, owning 49 percent of its total profits after investing $13 billion in 2019.
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Apple and OpenAI are becoming closer than ever, particularly after the preview of Apple Intelligence at WWDC 2024 which also included a ChatGPT component. Coming to a future update to iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia, ChatGPT will be integrated with Siri, offering Apple users direct access to world knowledge and many of ChatGPT’s features without third-party apps.
The report describes any Apple investment into ChatGPT as unusual as the Cupertino company typically acquires startups altogether rather than investing in them. The move would also complicate Apple’s relationship with potential AI partners in the future for Apple Intelligence, something that the company confirmed as part of its plans moving forward.
Apple Fellow Phil Schiller was also meant to represent the company as an observer on OpenAI’s board of directors, but the move fell through over regulatory scrutiny. Still, this won’t stop both companies from seeking closer ties.
