- Apple Intelligence will let you choose which AI models power its features
- iPhones using Apple Intelligence will be open third-party systems like Google and Anthropic instead of relying on a single default
- It will mean the end of OpenAI's exclusive role in Apple Intelligence
Apple is going to give you a choice of AI models to power the Apple Intelligence features rolling out to its devices instead of just sticking to a single default, according to a report in Bloomberg News.
Allowing users to select from multiple third-party models is a major departure from Apple's usual strategy of tightly controlled experiences. It's more reminiscent of how Android and other operating systems have functioned than the closely guarded Apple Store options.
The options are called Extensions and are coming to iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27 this fall. The Extensions will offer a choice of AI models for writing, image generation, and even voice conversations. Instead of one assistant responding to every request, the system could route queries to different providers depending on a user's preferences. It's part of Apple's larger plans for revamped AI features, including a suite of new tools for Photos and a complete redesign of Siri.
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Platform over product
Apple has reportedly already tested integrations with systems from Google and Anthropic. Those partnerships would sit alongside Apple’s models, which will still run features built into the device.
No single company leads in every aspect of AI, as the plan tacitly acknowledges. Allowing outside models to plug into its ecosystem means Apple can offer more advanced AI tools without needing to build each one itself, something the company has struggled to do at the pace of its new partners.
It enables Apple to keep pace with rapid developments across the industry while maintaining control over how those tools are presented. And for those companies, Apple’s ecosystem offers scale that is difficult to match elsewhere. Even a limited integration could bring a large audience to alternative models, accelerating competition within the space.
The extra decisions of AI models will likely appeal to those who want some flexibility in their AI options. On the other hand, some people like Apple because the company promotes the idea that all of its features have been curated so that you automatically get the best option. It removes the streamlined simplicity of Apple's operating systems, which is a major draw for some customers.
ChatGPT dethroned
Notably, Apple's plan means that OpenAI, whose ChatGPT system currently serves as the primary external AI option for Apple devices, will lose its exclusive position. That exclusivity has been valuable for OpenAI, but the new strategy means ChatGPT will simply be one choice among many.
Of course, Apple's reduced control means users might not be able to assume that everything the AI tools produce has been approved by the company. Apple will have to make it clear it isn't responsible for content generated by third-party AI models even as it points users to compatible AI apps within the App Store.
A lot of companies take their cues from Apple’s design decisions. This call suggests that in the current phase of AI, control may matter less than access. By making its devices a place where different models can coexist, Apple is betting that flexibility will be more valuable than exclusivity.
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