Apple is facing a notable challenge in the rollout of its most significant software update of 2024, Apple Intelligence, as Meta has chosen to block its integration across all its iOS applications, including Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. This decision marks a rare instance where a major developer has opted out of using Apple’s AI features, an option available to developers but rarely exercised until now.
The Mac Observer reports that Apple Intelligence, which was heavily promoted at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), began seeing broader feature availability in 2025 after a staggered and gradual launch. While most third-party developers have been keen to integrate these AI-driven tools to enhance user experience, Meta’s refusal to adopt them highlights a growing rivalry between the two tech giants in the artificial intelligence space.
Meta and Apple are both striving to advance their proprietary large language models (LLMs) amid competition primarily dominated by OpenAI's ChatGPT since its 2022 debut. Apple Intelligence offers in-built capabilities such as text generation, Smart Replies, and system-level AI enhancements within iOS. Meta, however, prefers to utilise its own AI infrastructure for these functions, preventing Apple Intelligence from generating content inside Meta’s apps.
The move by Meta has been described as a strategic effort to maintain control over user engagement and data. According to The Mac Observer, allowing Apple’s AI to operate within apps like Instagram or Facebook would effectively mean relinquishing some degree of data control to Apple—something Meta appears unwilling to do. This approach, while understandable from Meta’s business perspective, disrupts the seamless user experience Apple envisages since the AI features are integrated at the operating system level and work universally across most other apps.
Meta’s stance also echoes past reactions, such as their opposition to Apple’s App Tracking Transparency framework, which similarly prioritised control over user data and advertising revenue. The publication notes, “Once again, it feels like engagement comes second to ad revenue.”
From Apple’s standpoint, the company controls iOS distribution and could potentially impose tighter regulations on Meta’s use of in-app AI features in the future. This dynamic foreshadows potential tensions as the two companies continue to navigate their overlapping interests.
Looking ahead, The Mac Observer suggests that most developers are unlikely to follow Meta’s lead. For smaller or mid-sized app makers, Apple Intelligence provides advanced AI functionality without the need for significant investment in developing proprietary models. The appeal lies in delivering enhanced user experiences conveniently aligned with iOS’s native capabilities. However, other large firms with their own AI offerings—Google with its Gemini model, for instance—might consider selective engagement depending on potential conflicts.
The broader technology landscape also presents challenges for Apple beyond software integration. The company is contending with external pressures such as anticipated tariffs on Chinese-manufactured electronics. These financial and supply chain issues could delay product releases and increase costs throughout Apple's device portfolio, further complicating its plans for 2025.
In summary, Meta’s decision to block Apple Intelligence highlights an emerging battleground within the AI race and the complex interplay between maintaining platform openness and corporate control. As these developments unfold, industry observers will watch closely how Apple balances ecosystem integration with the competing interests of major app developers and geopolitical trade realities.
Source: Noah Wire Services