Apple Intelligence: Privacy & Security

[KhunJay]

I ask this not to debate Elon Musk's business practices and life philosophy but to hopefully have a conversation around what he is saying in these screenshots.

Seems obvious that users will have to allow iOS 18 (and Siri) full access to all information stored on the iphone. That's the only way
it can summarise your emails (access to all emails), that's how it can build a photo timeline to mark an occasion (access to all photos and videos).

There was some questions about who exactly has access to this user data...and I remember reading that Open AI has access. This is a
third party with which iPhone users have no contract...so it's unclear what the privacy and security implications are...long term.

Do share your thoughts.

 

[fatTribble]

Apple Intelligence servers are really basic, says Craig Federighi

Apple software SVP Craig Federighi says that the Private Cloud Compute servers used for Apple Intelligence features are really basic...

9to5mac.com

We’ve talked before about Apple’s three-stage hierarchy when it comes to Apple Intelligence features:

1. As much processing as possible is done on-device, with no data sent to servers
2. If external processing power is needed, Apple’s own servers are the next resort
3. If they can’t help, users are asked for permission to use ChatGPT

I thought this article describes very well what Apple is doing to protect privacy. If you don’t won’t anything going to ChatGPT you have that option.

 

[tbgb50]

I used PCs since they launched in 1982 and switched to Apple products earlier this year over Microsoft's heavy handed approach i.e. I trust Apple more but certainly not 100%.

Companies are not spending billions on AI to give users new features or capabilities. So, I am taking a wait and see approach over privacy concerns except for Google and Microsoft which I will avoid altogether.

 

[KhunJay]

If they can’t help, users are asked for permission to use ChatGPT

It's the 3rd point I am most interested in...I remain a little unsure about open ai having access to all my chats, emails, pictures...and not knowing what/how/for how long they use the data..I presume it's to train their AI which is a continuous process.

 

[Apple_Robert]

It's the 3rd point I am most interested in...I remain a little unsure about open ai having access to all my chats, emails, pictures...and not knowing what/how/for how long they use the data..I presume it's to train their AI which is a continuous process.

Don’t install any third party AI apps and you should be ok.

 

[fatTribble]

It's the 3rd point I am most interested in...I remain a little unsure about open ai having access to all my chats, emails, pictures...and not knowing what/how/for how long they use the data..I presume it's to train their AI which is a continuous process.

I would imagine Apple is sending what is needed to process the request. So if the request is to make your email sound more professional, they send them your email. It wouldn’t make sense to open the floodgates and send them the entire contents if your phone.

If you’re concerned you have the option not to use their service and only use AI when it can be processed on your iPhone or Apple’s private servers.

From what I’ve read there is nothing more to see here. Apple has been overtly transparent.

 

[dcp10]

It's the 3rd point I am most interested in...I remain a little unsure about open ai having access to all my chats, emails, pictures...and not knowing what/how/for how long they use the data..I presume it's to train their AI which is a continuous process.

OpenAI (or any other services) won’t have access to any data on device. Any queries a user approves are routed anonymously.

Apple Intelligence privacy sets a new standard, but it's not perfect

Apple Intelligence privacy is stronger than that of any other AI company, but even its security protections aren’t perfect once...

9to5mac.com

 

[cola79]

OpenAI (or any other services) won’t have access to any data on device. Any queries a user approves are routed anonymously.

Apple Intelligence privacy sets a new standard, but it's not perfect

Apple Intelligence privacy is stronger than that of any other AI company, but even its security protections aren’t perfect once...

9to5mac.com

But the query is/can be enough to identify a person. Thats how google is creating the user profiles, it's not their ip or phone number, simply their way of communication makes it easy to identify them and openai will of course collect all the "anonymous" data and easily separate all users from each other.

The only way to protect data is not to send it to any third party including apple.

 

[KhunJay]

Don’t install any third party AI apps and you should be ok.

Such as....?

 

[KhunJay]

I would imagine Apple is sending what is needed to process the request. So if the request is to make your email sound more professional, they send them your email. It wouldn’t make sense to open the floodgates and send them the entire contents if your phone.

If you’re concerned you have the option not to use their service and only use AI when it can be processed on your iPhone or Apple’s private servers.

From what I’ve read there is nothing more to see here. Apple has been overtly transparent.

Nothing "more" seems like ending the discussion...since all is now clear and sorted out. Is it?

Im not sure transparent is the world that comes to mind...I understand the 3-step process used
by Apple to process AI requests and am interested mainly in interactions with chatgpt or any other
Open AI asset. ...because my contract of use is with apple not Open AI... and I want to know what they
are doing, how they are using my data especially when they are not bound contractually towards me.

I understand that they get access to one email at a time...once I authorise it...they don't get all my emails at once.
How does that work with building a clip of photographic memories...surely the AI will have to go through all my
photos? Or is that photo-related operation only conducted on the device....hard to know what the rules are for each
function.

Makes it harder to gauge when we are not privy to the agreement apple has in place with Open AI.

 

[fatTribble]

Nothing "more" seems like ending the discussion...since all is now clear and sorted out. Is it?

Im not sure transparent is the world that comes to mind...I understand the 3-step process used
by Apple to process AI requests and am interested mainly in interactions with chatgpt or any other
Open AI asset. ...because my contract of use is with apple not Open AI... and I want to know what they
are doing, how they are using my data especially when they are not bound contractually towards me.

I understand that they get access to one email at a time...once I authorise it...they don't get all my emails at once.
How does that work with building a clip of photographic memories...surely the AI will have to go through all my
photos? Or is that photo-related operation only conducted on the device....hard to know what the rules are for each
function.

Makes it harder to gauge when we are not privy to the agreement apple has in place with Open AI.

Yes, for me it’s sorted out. If you have privacy concerns about what Apple is sending to a third party then just opt out. I think it’s likely that Memories will be created on device or worst case on an Apple server. From what I understand you’ll be asked anytime Apple needs to use a third party. It’s not set and forget. So you are in control. What else is there?

 

[I7guy]

But the query is/can be enough to identify a person. Thats how google is creating the user profiles, it's not their ip or phone number, simply their way of communication makes it easy to identify them and openai will of course collect all the "anonymous" data and easily separate all users from each other.

The only way to protect data is not to send it to any third party including apple.

This can be mitigated by using services such as DuckDuckGo. Of course if you have the google app on your iphone a profile can be established rather easily.

 

[Tagbert]

But the query is/can be enough to identify a person. Thats how google is creating the user profiles, it's not their ip or phone number, simply their way of communication makes it easy to identify them and openai will of course collect all the "anonymous" data and easily separate all users from each other.

The only way to protect data is not to send it to any third party including apple.

From executive interviews, we have learned that Apple’s contract with OpenAI requires OpenAI to not store any of your information, your query, your data, or even your IP address (which is masked by Apple in any case). OpenAI is required to purge all data at the end of the request. Apple also has the right to audit OpenAI to confirm compliance.

 

[Tagbert]

Nothing "more" seems like ending the discussion...since all is now clear and sorted out. Is it?

Im not sure transparent is the world that comes to mind...I understand the 3-step process used
by Apple to process AI requests and am interested mainly in interactions with chatgpt or any other
Open AI asset. ...because my contract of use is with apple not Open AI... and I want to know what they
are doing, how they are using my data especially when they are not bound contractually towards me.

I understand that they get access to one email at a time...once I authorise it...they don't get all my emails at once.
How does that work with building a clip of photographic memories...surely the AI will have to go through all my
photos? Or is that photo-related operation only conducted on the device....hard to know what the rules are for each
function.

Makes it harder to gauge when we are not privy to the agreement apple has in place with Open AI.

OpenAI does not run on the phone and does not get access to your information. Only Apple’s AI would have that access assuming you grant it. The integration with OpenAI is for doing queries about external information somewhat akin to the google/bing searches that Siri can do now. It is Apple Intelligence that you would use for your on-device data.

Apple’s contract with OpenAI blocks them from retaining any of your queries or data and gives Apple the right to audit OpenAI servers to confirm that.

 

[twintin]

It is my understanding that Siri is the only part that can make use of Open AI by means of chatgtp and in that instance you will always be asked before the query is sent.

Other system parts either use on device AI or Apples private cloud computing, which both use Apple developed language models.

 

[KhunJay]

It is my understanding that Siri is the only part that can make use of Open AI by means of chatgtp and in that instance you will always be asked before the query is sent.

Other system parts either use on device AI or Apples private cloud computing, which both use Apple developed language models.

Which makes it moot as I never use Siri...I will absolutely never talk to an electronic device.

 

[msackey]

I wonder, actually, if this is Elon Musk playing out politics. Could it be that he tried to acquire OpenAI, or tried to have some deal or whatnot with the founders/owners of OpenAI and didn't get exactly what he wanted and now he's sour? In other words, it is possibly the case that what Elon Musk is saying and demonstrating not actually the point. He's using his platform and antics to play out something behind the scenes. The direct message he's giving may not actually be the message.

 

[BigBlur]

I wonder, actually, if this is Elon Musk playing out politics. Could it be that he tried to acquire OpenAI, or tried to have some deal or whatnot with the founders/owners of OpenAI and didn't get exactly what he wanted and now he's sour? In other words, it is possibly the case that what Elon Musk is saying and demonstrating not actually the point. He's using his platform and antics to play out something behind the scenes. The direct message he's giving may not actually be the message.

Who knows what his deal is, but Elon Musk is one of the original co-founders of OpenAI. He resigned in 2018 due to "potential future conflict of interest". He also just recently started another AI company - xAI.

Maybe he's sour that Apple went with OpenAI (that he's no longer part of and can't reap the benefits). And/or maybe because we don't have a choice of which AI company to use and won't be able to integrate it with xAI instead.

 

[msackey]

Who knows what his deal is, but Elon Musk is one of the original co-founders of OpenAI. He resigned in 2018 due to "potential future conflict of interest". He also just recently started another AI company - xAI.

Maybe he's sour that Apple went with OpenAI (that he's no longer part of and can't reap the benefits). And/or maybe because we don't have a choice of which AI company to use and won't be able to integrate it with xAI instead.

Interesting history. I think a lot of what motivates Elon or what influences what he says has to do with grudges and power play.

 

[twintin]

Which makes it moot as I never use Siri...I will absolutely never talk to an electronic device.

Then you don’t have to worty about third party getting hands on your data. All stays within Apples walls. 😊