Apple will get an observer role on OpenAI’s board as part of a landmark agreement announced last month, “further tightening ties between the once-unlikely partners,” Mark Gurman reports for Bloomberg News.
Phil Schiller, the head of Apple’s App Store and its former marketing chief, was chosen for the position, Gurman reports citing “people familiar with the situation.”
Mark Gurman for Bloomberg News:
As a board observer, he won’t be serving as a full-fledged director, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the matter isn’t public.
The move follows Apple’s announcement in June that it would offer ChatGPT in the iPhone, iPad and Mac as part of a suite of artificial intelligence features. The board arrangement will take effect later this year, and Schiller hasn’t yet attended any meetings, according to the people. Details of the situation could still change.
The board observer role will put Apple on par with Microsoft Corp., OpenAI’s biggest backer and its main AI technology provider. The job allows someone to attend board meetings without being able to vote or exercise other director powers. Observers, however, do gain insights into how decisions are made at the company.
Though Schiller doesn’t lead Apple’s artificial intelligence initiatives, his veteran role as a steward of the company’s brand makes him well-suited to the observer job. The 64-year-old stepped down as head of marketing in 2020, and his current title is Apple Fellow. In addition to overseeing the App Store, he still manages the company’s product launch events. Outside of Apple, he’s a director at medical technology company Illumina Inc.
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