Apple Is Adding ChatGPT to iPhones This Week. Here’s How It Works.

On Wednesday, Apple released new updates for iPhone, iPad, and Mac that bring a long-awaited feature to Apple products: direct access to OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

Now, if a user asks Siri a complicated question that the voice assistant can’t answer, Siri will ask if it can send the question to ChatGPT. If the user says yes, Siri will bring ChatGPT’s response straight to the iPhone screen and say, “Here’s an answer from ChatGPT.” The user doesn’t have to navigate to ChatGPT themselves; their questions are answered directly on the iPhone.

Apple users can access the feature without making a ChatGPT account. Apple says that OpenAI won’t store their questions or use their data for training purposes.

ChatGPT will also have functions outside of Siri. The new Compose feature allows users to generate images with the chatbot that are tailored to their writing. For example, they could ask ChatGPT to “add a magical impressionist image” to a bedtime story.

The new updates are called iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2.

This is the first time Apple has integrated a third-party AI chatbot into the iPhone as part of Apple Intelligence. There are rumors that Apple will partner with additional companies to add other AI chatbots to its products in the future, including Google for its Gemini chatbot.

Apple first announced ChatGPT integration in June as part of a collection of AI features called Apple Intelligence.

In late October, Apple rolled out its first Apple Intelligence update with iOS 18.1. The earlier update introduced writing help from AI that could rewrite text to take on a “friendly,” “professional,” or “concise” tone as well as a Siri that could understand more context.

What’s the difference between Apple Intelligence and ChatGPT?

Apple Intelligence refers to the group of AI features that Apple has brought to its products, including writing tools and a redesigned Siri. Only the iPhone 16 lineup and the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max are eligible for Apple Intelligence updates.

ChatGPT is the AI chatbot from OpenAI that has over 300 million weekly users .

One connecting aspect between ChatGPT and Apple Intelligence is that with iOS 18.2, Apple Intelligence now taps into ChatGPT for Siri and writing help.