Apple Intelligence: Kooperation statt Eigenentwicklung

Apple has a problem. The AI world is evolving rapidly, but Siri and Apple's own "Apple Intelligence" seem outdated compared to ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude. The big breakthroughs in generative AI are happening at other companies—OpenAI, Google, Anthropic. Apple is monitoring developments, trying to develop solutions internally, but apparently isn't making enough progress. Now Apple is exploring a new approach: integrating external AI models from OpenAI or Anthropic. This may sound uncharacteristic of Apple, but it could turn out to be the best decision for all parties.

Apple has built a strong ecosystem with its iPhone, iPad, Mac, and associated services. Hardware and software are seamlessly integrated, user experience is high, and the devices sell well. Apple was a pioneer in the smartphone era. But with the rise of generative AI, the company faces new challenges. While others are experimenting with AI-based assistants, tools, and platforms and creating real-world applications, Apple appears to be holding back. Siri, in particular, is technologically far behind today's standards. The great AI shift has begun—and Apple is under pressure to keep up.

Apple lags behind in AI

While the first features are already available under the name "Apple Intelligence," they are still a long way from what companies like OpenAI or Anthropic offer today. Features like contextual suggestions, text summaries, and intelligent corrections are useful, but not revolutionary. Most importantly, Siri lacks the ability to behave like a true language model—that is, to understand context, respond creatively, or complete complex tasks. Siri was actually supposed to receive a major upgrade this year. The goal was to make the voice assistant more powerful—comparable to ChatGPT or Gemini. But these upgrades have been postponed, presumably until 2026. This shows that Apple is not where it needs to be in terms of developing its own AI models to remain competitive.

Apple considers partnership with OpenAI or Anthropic

According to Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, Apple is currently considering whether to further develop the revamped Siri based on third-party AI. OpenAI and Anthropic are among those under discussion. This would allow Apple to draw on existing, powerful language models to advance its own AI. This would mark a departure from Apple's typical approach of developing everything in-house. From a technological perspective, this would be a smart solution. With GPT-4, OpenAI has already demonstrated what generative AI can achieve today. With Claude, Anthropic also provides a powerful model focused on security and contextual understanding. For Apple, this would mean no years of in-house development, but immediate access to cutting-edge AI technology. And for you as a user: a significantly more intelligent voice assistant – seamlessly integrated into your devices.

Why this step makes sense

While Apple isn't a leader in AI research, it does have two key strengths: extremely good product design and complete control over hardware and software. It's precisely this combination that could ensure that external AI models like GPT-4 or Claude work particularly well on Apple devices. While OpenAI or Anthropic provide the technology, Apple ensures user-friendly, privacy-friendly, and seamless implementation. This division of labor has worked well for Apple many times before. Examples include Apple Maps (as a replacement for Google Maps), its own 5G modem (following its partnership with Qualcomm), and the graphics chips in current Macs. In all cases, Apple initially worked with partners and later developed its own solutions. It could be similar with Apple Intelligence: a partnership with OpenAI or Anthropic in the short term, and the long-term development of its own AI infrastructure in the background.

What does this mean for you as a user

If Apple were to go down this path, you would benefit directly. You would no longer have to wait for half-baked Siri responses; instead, you could communicate with real, context-aware AI on your iPhone or Mac—without having to sign up for ChatGPT or install external apps. At the same time, the typical Apple user experience would be retained: clear, secure, and well-thought-out. So, you get state-of-the-art AI functionality—packaged in the familiar Apple design. And Apple could continue working on its own solutions in parallel, perhaps becoming more independent again later.

Why Apple should now rely on external AI

Apple has long tried to drive AI development on its own. But the lead held by OpenAI and others is currently too great. Instead of wasting time, a partnership with OpenAI or Anthropic would be a sensible step. Not as a stopgap measure, but as a strategic decision to make Apple Intelligence faster and more usable. For you as a user, this would mean more options, more intelligence, more benefits – on devices you already use. And for Apple, it would be a realistic opportunity to return to the forefront of innovation. The best products for you: Our Amazon Storefront offers a wide selection of accessories, including those for HomeKit. (Image: Shutterstock / DenPhotos)