--- title: "It Turns Out Apple Is Only Paying OpenAI in Exposure" description: "According to Bloomberg, neither party expects a direct boost in revenues from their partnership that is nonetheless significant." date: "2024-06-14" modified: "2024-06-14" authors: - name: "Frank Landymore" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/flandymore" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/apple-paying-openai-in-exposure" categories: - "Artificial Intelligence" - "OpenAI" tags: - "apple" - "chatgpt" - "OpenAI" - "the digest" --- # It Turns Out Apple Is Only Paying OpenAI in Exposure ![According to Bloomberg, neither party expects a direct boost in revenues from their partnership that is nonetheless significant.]() *CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 10: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman (L) talks with Apple senior Vice President of Services Eddy Cue (R) during the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on June 10, 2024 in Cupertino, California. Apple will announce plans to incorporate artificial intelligence (AI) into Apple software and hardware. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) \Image: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images\* ## Money's Worth You know how creatives frequently complain about cheapskate clients offering to pay them "[in exposure]()" instead of actual money? Sounds like OpenAI knows exactly what that feels like. When Apple [announced its partnership with OpenAI]() last week, it certainly sounded like it could have been yet another blockbuster deal for the ChatGPT developer, who has already [courted billions of dollars]() from its big daddy backer, Microsoft. But as *Bloomberg* [reports](), no hard cash changed hands as part of the deal, and neither party expects a direct boost in revenue. Apple isn't paying OpenAI, but the thinking goes that it's more than making up for this by giving the startup tons of exposure, according to *Bloomberg's* sources, as it thrusts ChatGPT into the hands of Apple's hundreds of millions of devices and customers. In return, Apple — [notably absent for so long in the generative AI race]() — can finally get a foothold in the field and get chatbot-crazed customers to use their devices more. And to inject some speculation on our part, perhaps Apple hopes to piggyback off ChatGPT's household status to vicariously legitimize its new in-house AI effort, "Apple Intelligence." ## Fair Share In the long run, both parties obviously hope the deal will yield some additional revenue, directly or indirectly. But before they can get there, there are still a few nagging questions. AI demands ludicrous amounts of processing power, and so if OpenAI sees an influx of users and a boost in how much people use its chatbot, the more it'll have to shell out to use Microsoft's servers, where its chatbot is hosted. Not all users will be freeloaders, however, and OpenAI will undoubtedly be banking on customers trying out its $20 per month "ChatGPT Plus" subscription plans and higher, which grant access to its latest large language model that features its [controversial]() voice mode, as well as image generation via DALL·E, both big draws. And there Apple stands to benefit, too. As *Bloomberg* notes, any subscription purchases made through the ChatGPT app will see a cut of the transaction go to the tech giant — as much as 30 percent. In sum, both parties stand to reap rewards from their new partnership, even if they may not be tangible and come with expenses along the way. But the degree of benefit may be unbalanced. You can imagine that Apple, the multi-trillion dollar kingpins of the tech industry, were in a better bargaining position, and there's maybe a chuckle to be had that with all its billions, it's only paying OpenAI in "exposure." If it was a deal between client and a freelance artist desperate for a breakthrough, it'd sound exploitative. Something tells us that OpenAI, whose valuation was last [reported as being upwards of $80 billion](), will be just fine, though. **More on Apple:** *[Tim Cook Admits Apple May Never Be Able to Make Its AI Stop Lying]()* ## Author At Futurism, my work has often centered on bringing a sense of clarity and insight to complex topics ranging from the regulation of emerging technologies to the esoteric ideologies of Silicon Valley executives, while striving not to lose the poetic sense of awe inspired by often-obscure fields like astrophysics and quantum computing. I broke the story of CNET using AI to produce articles that turned out to be riddled with factual errors and plagiarism — a dam-breaking inflection point, as I've reported, that's inspired copycats and endless discourse while beguiling stakeholders ranging from tech giants to purveyors of spam around the web. My work at Futurism has been cited by publications including CBS News, the Los Angeles Times, Vice, Gizmodo, Engadget, the Verge, and Vanity Fair. I grew up in locales ranging from India to China, and now live in the exotic suburbs of Virginia. In my free time, I'm an avid reader of weird sci-fi literature, an aficionado of East Asian cinema, and, regrettably, a relapsed gamer. Allegedly, I’m working on a debut novel, currently untitled. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()