Apple’s partnership with OpenAI is reportedly under strain, with the ChatGPT maker exploring legal options over what it sees as a breakdown in its agreement with the iPhone giant.

According to a Reuters report, OpenAI believes it has not received the expected benefits from its deal with Apple and has discussed possible legal action internally. The report said OpenAI lawyers are working with an outside legal firm on different options, including formally notifying Apple of a possible breach of contract without immediately filing a lawsuit.

The tensions come less than two years after Apple introduced OpenAI integration into its Apple Intelligence system, allowing Siri to access ChatGPT responses and enabling iPhone users to sign up for ChatGPT subscriptions directly through iOS settings.

Reuters reported that OpenAI had expected deeper integration of ChatGPT across Apple’s software ecosystem and believed the partnership would drive subscriptions and broader adoption of its AI tools.

Cracks inside partnership

The relationship reportedly worsened as Apple began expanding discussions with rival AI providers. Bloomberg recently reported that Apple is testing integrations with Google Gemini and Anthropic’s Claude as part of a broader effort to make Apple Intelligence compatible with multiple AI models.

Reuters said OpenAI’s concerns are not centered on exclusivity because the original partnership was never intended to block Apple from working with competitors. Instead, the frustration appears linked to stalled renegotiation talks and limited ChatGPT visibility inside Apple’s ecosystem.

Apple has also reportedly grown cautious about its dependence on OpenAI. According to a report on Gizmodo, Apple had concerns over whether OpenAI could adequately protect user privacy while also moving aggressively into hardware ambitions.

The report further stated that Apple was unhappy with OpenAI’s separate plans to develop AI hardware alongside former Apple designer Jony Ive, potentially creating future competition for the iPhone maker.

It also added that Apple now appears ready to fully open Apple Intelligence to third-party AI models rather than giving OpenAI a central role.

The shift could significantly change how AI services appear on Apple devices in the future, potentially turning Apple Intelligence into a platform supporting multiple competing models rather than relying heavily on a single AI partner such as OpenAI.

Siri overhaul intensifies

Apple is expected to reveal more details about its AI strategy during its annual Worldwide Developers Conference in June. According to a Reuters report, Google’s Gemini could eventually help power Apple’s revamped Siri system later this year.

The partnership between Apple and OpenAI was initially presented as one of the most high-profile alliances in the generative AI race. At the time, Apple positioned ChatGPT as a major part of its effort to modernize Siri and catch up with competitors in artificial intelligence.

However, Apple’s AI rollout has faced delays and criticism over missing or incomplete features. Gizmodo noted that some of Apple’s AI tools struggled to gain traction, limiting the visibility and impact OpenAI may have expected from the collaboration.

However, despite tensions, OpenAI is unlikely to fully walk away from Apple’s ecosystem because of the iPhone’s massive global user base.