Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk on Monday said he will prohibit the use of Apple products in his companies after the phone-making giant’s collaboration with Sam Altman’s OpenAI.
According to CNBC, Musk, 52, voiced his concerns on X about the protection of user data by Apple and OpenAI, labelling their software integration as “an unacceptable security violation.”
The tech billionaire criticised the company and stated that it has “no clue what’s actually going on”.
His remarks followed Apple’s announcement of its foray into artificial intelligence included an update to its voice assistant Siri, enabling it to utilise OpenAI’s ChatGPT chatbot.
Apple assured users that their consent would be sought before sharing data with ChatGPT and that their information would not be stored.
“It’s patently absurd that Apple isn’t smart enough to make their own AI, yet is somehow capable of ensuring that OpenAI will protect your security & privacy!” Musk wrote after the event.
He specifically said that Apple devices would be banned if the company “integrates OpenAI at the OS level,” referring to Apple’s operating system.
Apple told CNBC that the company is using its own AI, and its integration with OpenAI is an optional feature.
Replying directly to a post from Apple CEO Tim Cook, Musk claimed he will ban Apple devices from his companies’ premises unless Cook decides to “stop this creepy spyware.”
He added that his companies’ visitors will be asked to check their Apple devices at the door.
Musk co-founded OpenAI in 2015 and stepped down from its board in 2018.
He’s been a vocal critic of the company and its CEO of late, suing the company in March, alleging they abandoned the company’s founding mission to develop AI “for the benefit of humanity broadly.”
Musk raised $6 billion in a recent funding round for his AI firm, xAI, whose first product, Grok, is meant to serve as a politically incorrect answer to ChatGPT, CNBC reported.
