In a bid to harness the power of artificial intelligence (AI), Apple has reportedly reopened discussions with OpenAI to potentially integrate a chatbot on the upcoming iOS 18. Apple's conversations with OpenAI center around a "chatbot/search component," according to Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman.

Not stopping there, Apple is also said to be in talks with Google to license Gemini, Google's own AI-powered chatbot, for iOS 18. The negotiations with both OpenAI and Google are ongoing, and Apple has yet to make a final decision on which company's AI technology it will adopt. It remains uncertain whether Apple might even opt to integrate AI tech from both companies, or none at all.

While Apple has been relatively tight-lipped about its AI efforts compared to other tech giants in Silicon Valley, hints have been dropped along the way. CEO Tim Cook revealed during the company's earnings announcement in February that Apple continues to invest in and develop AI, promising to share more details about their progress later this year.

Apple has already made waves in the AI space with the recent launch of the M3 MacBook Air, touted as the "world's best consumer laptop for AI." Further, the company plans to release AI-centric laptops and desktops later this year. Additionally, Apple released a collection of open-source large language models that have the capability to run locally on devices, a departure from relying solely on cloud-based solutions.

The specifics of Apple's AI features for iPhones and other devices still remain unclear. Generative AI, in particular, has shown some limitations with its tendency to produce unreliable and invented responses. Recent AI-powered gadgets like the Humane AI Pin have faced critical reviews, whereas others like the Rabbit R1 are yet to prove their worth.

As Apple's discussions with OpenAI and Google progress, consumers eagerly await the unveiling of iOS 18 and the potential integration of a chatbot powered by cutting-edge AI technology.