Apple’s Phil Schiller gets observer status on OpenAI’s board

After the announcement of the major deal with the ChatGPT maker and its integration into future operating systems, Apple will be given an “observer role” on the OpenAI supervisory board, which corresponds to Microsoft’s role. Phil Schiller, one of the iGroup’s top managers, will be able to attend and observe the board meetings, but will not have voting rights.

This position allows Apple to gain insight into the decision-making processes at OpenAI without being able to exert direct influence. As Bloomberg reports, this arrangement will take effect later this year. Schiller has not yet attended any meetings of the OpenAI board. The fact that he will attend meetings in the future, where important strategic decisions are also made, indicates that the cooperation with OpenAI will be a long-term one.

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From Marketing Manager to Strategist

Phil Schiller was Apple’s long-time chief marketing officer before moving to the position of Apple Fellow in 2020. In this role, Schiller continues to lead the App Store and Apple events and reports directly to Apple CEO Tim Cook. Schiller also leads Apple’s efforts to defend the App Store against antitrust allegations worldwide.

The observer role on the OpenAI board puts Apple on a par with Microsoft, OpenAI’s largest funder and shareholder and the main provider of the company’s AI technology. This new role gives Apple deep insights into OpenAI’s decision-making processes and strategies, which is of great importance in the context of competition with arch-rival Microsoft and innovation in the field of artificial intelligence. Schiller’s new position could influence and strengthen Apple’s strategic direction in the field of artificial intelligence.

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