OpenAI and Apple Enable ChatGPT to Interact with iMessages

OpenAI and Apple have launched a new feature that enables ChatGPT to read, write, and send iMessages on Mac computers, a development that may raise privacy concerns among Apple users.

According to reports, this feature allows ChatGPT to perform various tasks within Apple’s Messages app, including searching through conversations and summarizing the content of messages, in addition to handling text communications.

Apple has long marketed its brand around strong privacy protections and has been cautious about user message data. This new capability that might transmit user information to OpenAI has the potential to attract scrutiny.

This rollout is particularly notable given the ongoing legal dispute between Apple and OpenAI. Apple has accused OpenAI of unlawfully acquiring its hardware secrets, alleging that this infringement has occurred across many levels of the organizations involved.

Apple’s legal action against OpenAI claims that the company engaged in systematic theft of its intellectual property, marking a significant shift in their relationship. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Northern California, suggests that OpenAI gathered Apple’s confidential information through its various organizational levels.

According to Apple’s court documents, the alleged appropriations took place at all levels of OpenAI. The company asserted, “At every level, from members of its Technical Staff to its Chief Hardware Officer, and in coordination with business partners, OpenAI has been stealing Apple’s trade secrets and confidential information.”

In response to inquiries about this feature, OpenAI emphasized that it requires user consent and does not keep an index of individual messages. They noted that the integration operates locally on the Mac and utilizes existing tools like AppleScript and Accessibility functions to engage with the Messages app.

Setting this integration up involves several opt-in steps on both the ChatGPT app and the Mac’s operating system. When a user enables the feature the first time, a permissions screen in ChatGPT alerts them that it will access message history stored on the device.

Users must also modify privacy settings within the Mac’s System Settings, including enabling a feature known as Full Disk Access. Additionally, they need to grant ChatGPT access to contact names and automation tools, which is similar to the setup needed for other AI-based automation tools.

OpenAI has previously implemented features to analyze data from users’ Health apps on iPhones and iPads, where Apple’s systems require explicit user approval to share that data with ChatGPT.

ChatGPT already connects with various Mac applications like Xcode, Notes, and Terminal, and these integrations are generally considered less sensitive in terms of privacy compared to a connection to the Messages app.

This new feature could also pose competition for Apple’s upcoming Siri enhancements that allow users to search through messages and stored content on their devices, a feature seen as advantageous over other chatbots.