Elon Musk to launch ‘X Phone’ with Samsung? Not averse to idea of launching iPhone-competitor

Elon Musk has openly criticized Apple’s recent partnership with OpenAI, threatening to ban Apple devices at Tesla, Starlink, SpaceX, and his other companies. The thing escalated to a point where Musk dropped a rather major hint — that he may actually consider partnering up with Samsung to launch an ‘X Phone’

Musk’s criticism comes in the wake of Apple’s announcement at the World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2024 that it will integrate OpenAI’s ChatGPT with iPhones and other devices via upcoming software updates.

Musk, responding to a tweet about a potential partnership between X (formerly Twitter) and Samsung to develop an X-branded phone, indicated that it was a plausible scenario.

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A user tweeted, “Calling it now. X will partner with Samsung to manufacture an X phone…X OS will be open source to assure user privacy is protected,” to which Musk replied, “It is not out of the question.”

Musk’s main contention with Apple’s decision to partner with OpenAI centres around security and privacy concerns. He labelled Apple’s collaboration with OpenAI as an “unacceptable security violation” and accused Apple of compromising user security. “It’s patently absurd that Apple isn’t smart enough to make their own AI, yet is somehow capable of ensuring that OpenAI will protect your security & privacy! Apple has no clue what’s actually going on once they hand your data over to OpenAI. They’re selling you down the river,” Musk posted.

Furthermore, Musk has threatened to ban iPhones from all his companies, insisting that visitors would have to check their Apple devices at the door, where they would be stored in a Faraday cage to prevent any communication.

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This situation is particularly notable given Musk’s historical connection to OpenAI. He co-founded OpenAI with Sam Altman and others in 2015 but stepped down from its board in 2018. Since his departure, Musk has been an outspoken critic of the company, especially regarding its direction and commercialization efforts.

Musk’s latest outburst reflects his broader concerns about AI development and data privacy, as well as his competitive stance in the AI industry, especially with his own AI venture, xAI, gaining momentum. This tension highlights the ongoing debates and power struggles in the tech industry surrounding AI innovation, privacy, and corporate control.