Apple Is in Talks To Invest in OpenAI, WSJ Says (wsj.com) 13
Apple is in talks to invest in OpenAI, a move that would cement ties to a partner integral to its efforts to gain ground in the artificial-intelligence race. WSJ: The investment would be part of a new OpenAI fundraising round that would value the ChatGPT maker above $100 billion, people familiar with the situation said. The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that venture-capital firm Thrive Capital is leading the round, which will total several billion dollars, and Apple rival Microsoft is also expected to participate.
It couldn't be learned how much Apple or Microsoft will invest into OpenAI this round. To date, Microsoft has been the primary strategic investor into OpenAI. It owns a 49% share of the AI startup's profits after investing $13 billion since 2019. Apple in June announced OpenAI as the first official partner for Apple Intelligence, its system for infusing AI features throughout its operating system. The new AI will feature an improved Siri voice assistant, text proofreading and creating custom emojis.
It couldn't be learned how much Apple or Microsoft will invest into OpenAI this round. To date, Microsoft has been the primary strategic investor into OpenAI. It owns a 49% share of the AI startup's profits after investing $13 billion since 2019. Apple in June announced OpenAI as the first official partner for Apple Intelligence, its system for infusing AI features throughout its operating system. The new AI will feature an improved Siri voice assistant, text proofreading and creating custom emojis.
Apple should buy it totally (Score:1)
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I dont trust the contracts of their vendors with private data. That is a hard No from me on using openAI on my iPhone OS.
Would any Android users care to chime in? ;)
Re:Apple should buy it totally (Score:4, Funny)
Apple can't buy OpenAI because it's not for sale.
Microsoft would have to agree to a buyout, and that's not gonna happen.
Microsoft is willing to let Apple have a stake because it doesn't see Apple as much of a threat in this area. Apple is behind the curve on AI.
But an outright acquisition is off the table.
Besides, what would Apple do with it? Improve Siri? That's not worth $100B (and the price would be much higher than that).
Re:Apple should buy it totally, (Score:4, Insightful)
Microsoft is willing to let Apple have a stake because it doesn't see Apple as much of a threat in this area. Apple is behind the curve on AI.
Behind the curve? That’s laughable considering we’re still solidly in the mocking and rolling-eyes phase of AI development, where the best AIs still manage to go off on a response tangent worthy of a toddler giving a lecture on astrophysics based on booger flicking.
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A buyout won't happen because it's a hot potato that nobody wants. OpenAI is just a giant liability shield disguised as a capped-profit company. People can't throw more money at them in fees because it's capped, so they're all investors.
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Microsoft may be willing to let Apple to have a stake because it's a step toward being too big to fail, or at least to regulate. Or because it's anticompetitive without appearing to be so.
Everyone Is (Score:3)
Everyone is doing the same. There was another front-page article here yesterday about Microsoft and others investing $1 billion plus in OpenAI. Clearly the whole, non-profit plan went out the window long ago and now it's about becoming one of the richest companies in the world.
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Capped profit, now. But an "investment" isn't counted as profit, I don't think?
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Re: (Score:2)
Right. But it can still be funneled toward executive paychecks. I'm not sure to what extent investors are expecting to make any money back.
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