Apple is adding GPT-5 to Apple Intelligence with iOS 26 software update

Apple Intelligence will soon get a major upgrade, with GPT-5 integration arriving in iOS 26.

The move brings OpenAI’s latest and most advanced AI model directly into Apple’s ecosystem, alongside iPadOS 26 and macOS Tahoe 26.

CEO Sam Altman has likened GPT-5’s leap in quality to the iPhone’s jump to a Retina display, which is bold praise for a model touted to improve coding, accuracy, safety, and more.

And Apple says users won’t have to wait long, with the update scheduled to arrive by the end of summer.

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GPT-5 will be optional for Apple Intelligence

The news, first reported by 9to5Mac, confirms that Apple Intelligence will tap GPT-5 when handling requests that go beyond Apple’s own AI model’s capabilities.

For example, if you ask Siri a question involving in-depth analysis of a document or a complex image, it can call on GPT-5 to help deliver a more accurate response.

This integration builds on existing features like Camera Control in the iPhone’s Camera app, which allows GPT-powered analysis of your surroundings.

If you connect your ChatGPT account, you can also save requests to your personal history for easy reference later.

Apple is keeping GPT-5 as an optional extension, meaning users will need to enable it in settings before Siri can use it.

For those concerned about privacy or data usage, turning off the extension ensures Siri will only rely on Apple’s built-in model.

But why is Apple integrating ChatGPT into their devices, rather than trying to do it inhouse?

Well, one issue is that Apple is having a tough time retaining its top talent.

Meta recently made headlines when it paid an AI engineer $200 million to leave Apple, which is more than what CEO Tim Cook earns in three years.

This is perhaps why Apple made the decision last year to invest in OpenAI, outsourcing the AI development to the the tech newcomer.

OpenAI promises fewer errors, but critics disagree

OpenAI is promoting GPT-5 as its safest model yet, thanks in part to a new feature called Safe Completions.

This system is designed to give the most helpful possible answer while staying within strict safety guidelines.

In practice, that means fewer errors, fewer inappropriate suggestions, and more context-aware responses.

This is something that Apple clearly values, as the company deepens AI integration across its platforms.

ChatGPT has also been improving in general, recently displaying its prowess by passing the ‘I am not a robot’ verification test successfully.

While GPT-5 will be free for all Apple Intelligence users, OpenAI’s paid subscriptions unlock faster performance, priority access, and unlimited use.

ChatGPT’s plans range from $20 per month for ChatGPT Plus, to $200 per month for the Pro plan.

These benefits will carry over if you log in to your ChatGPT account through Apple Intelligence.

OpenAI has been steadily upping its game over the last few years.

Last year, GPT-4o made headlines when it was revealed that it was capable of talking with itself.

Earlier this year, it displayed its prowess by passing the ‘I am not a robot’ verification test successfully.

However, the launch of GPT-5 has not been the smoothest, with critics claiming that the OpenAI revolution has hit a speed bump.

While this is certainly not all good news, the rapid rise of OpenAI as a tech juggernaut means you probably shouldn’t count them out of the AI race just yet.

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