ChatGPT Gains Control of iMessage, Raising New Privacy Questions for Apple
Synopsis
OpenAI’s new Mac feature can read, write and send messages through Apple’s Messages app, as well as search conversations and generate summaries, potentially putting user message data within reach of OpenAI’s systems.
OpenAI has announced an Apple Messages integration for its Mac application this week, resulting in new ChatGPT iMessage control privacy questions.
The feature is available for iMessage, SMS and RCS conversations, allowing users to read, search, draft, send and summarize messages, with the need for the sender’s permission by default.
The update makes ChatGPT one of the latest apps to directly access and control software on a user’s Mac. For Australian and US businesses, the update may be particularly notable, as access on Macs within the business’s control may be needed to secure employee communications under internal privacy and security policies.
New permissions put messages within ChatGPT’s reach
The main issue with the new ChatGPT iMessage control features is that they require specific permissions to operate. Users will need to allow ChatGPT to access and automate their conversations within Messages for it to work.
It is noteworthy that ChatGPT is local, and it does not create any index of the user’s entire message history, according to OpenAI. The feature is available for conversations within Apple’s Messages, iMessage, SMS and RCS.
In addition, the OpenAI iMessage integration expands the number of apps ChatGPT can interact with on a Mac. The company’s Mac apps are being enhanced with end-to-end capabilities at the system level, enabling them to perform tasks beyond just responding to text queries.
Apple dispute adds another layer
The ChatGPT Mac privacy issues come as Apple and OpenAI fight a legal battle. In late July, Apple filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and two of its former employees, accusing them of stealing trade secrets from the company related to its chip development.
Apple then requested a preliminary injunction to prevent OpenAI and the two individuals from accessing, acquiring, utilizing, or disclosing the purported confidential information. OpenAI denies the allegations and believes that it has no interest in Apple’s trade secrets.
Moreover, OpenAI’s financial performance has been outstanding, with revenues doubling from where it was at the end of 2025. According to reports, the company’s revenue now exceeds $40 billion per year.
The Apple ChatGPT data privacy issue, therefore, touches on business and IT management topics in relation to setting permissions for AI to access enterprise messaging and other local data.
Source: Yahoo Finance
Pooja Malik is a business journalist with over six years of experience covering startups, entrepreneurship, and emerging trends. She has previously worked with leading media platforms such as YourStory Media and BW BusinessWorld, where she reported on business, policy, and market developments. Currently, she serves as Editor at The Inspirepreneur Magazine, where she writes and edits stories across business, lifestyle, and travel, with a focus on clarity, accuracy, and reader relevance.
