Apple to take up observer role on OpenAI board

Apple will receive an observer role on OpenAI’s board as part of an earlier agreement with the firm, Bloomberg said on July 2.

Apple Fellow Phil Schiller, who heads the company’s App Store, manages product launch events, and formerly headed company marketing, will take the board position.

Schiller’s role as observer means that he can attend board meetings but cannot vote or exercise director powers. He has not yet participated in any board meetings but can do so once the arrangement, which is still subject to change, begins later this year.

Bloomberg said the observer role “puts Apple on par with Microsoft,” currently OpenAI’s primary backer and AI technology provider. However, OpenAI and Microsoft could exclude Apple from discussions and meetings that involve their private AI plans.

Bloomberg cited individuals familiar with the matter as its source and said the issue is not public. Apple and OpenAI did not respond to Bloomberg’s request for comment.

Position is part of earlier partnership

Bloomberg said the board position is part of an earlier agreement between OpenAI and Apple, which will see Apple integrate ChatGPT with its various products.

Apple announced the OpenAI partnership on June 10 alongside details of its broader personal intelligence system, Apple Intelligence.

Alongside various other features, the arrangement unites two flagship products, allowing Apple’s Siri to provide access to OpenAI’s ChatGPT with user permission.

Bloomberg said today that the arrangement is a non-financial one.

It also described how Apple could extend its AI partnerships beyond OpenAI. Apple is still in AI partnership discussions with Google and Anthropic and is in conversation with Baidu and Alibaba Group about introducing AI to its products in China.

Bloomberg said on June 30 that Apple could announce the Google partnership in the fall when it launches its OpenAI-partnered features.

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