Although Apple started late in the field of artificial intelligence, it is making every effort to increase investment.

At the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June this year, the tech giant announced that it would collaborate with OpenAI to bring some AI capabilities to Apple's smart platforms. Subsequently, on Thursday, it was reported that Apple was considering investing in OpenAI's next round of funding—a round that would value OpenAI at over $100 billion.

This move by Apple could further consolidate its business relationship with OpenAI but may also encroach on the interests of long-term competitor Microsoft, which has reportedly invested $13 billion in OpenAI. It also demonstrates that despite facing headwinds over the past year, OpenAI remains dominant in the AI space, reflecting the eagerness of large tech companies (and others) to forge partnerships with it.

Jacob Bourne from Emarketer stated that Apple's potential investment is an "unusual plan" for the company but one that "underscores the intense competition and high stakes in the AI race."

Bourne said, "While this investment may dilute Microsoft's role as OpenAI's primary backer, it reflects the shifting landscape in AI, where major players, including Microsoft, are diversifying their partnerships to stay competitive."

Potential investors in this round are reportedly also Joshua Kushner's Thrive Capital (participating again) and Microsoft (participating again). According to media reports, NVIDIA, the AI chipmaker currently favored in the investment community, has also discussed joining this funding round.

However, Microsoft's current investment in OpenAI grants it the right to 49% of OpenAI's profits, which could complicate returns for Apple and other investors.

The competition between Apple and Microsoft dates back decades, when founders Steve Jobs and Bill Gates led these two companies. Both tech giants have market valuations exceeding $3 trillion, and the rise of AI is accelerating their sprint towards the $4 trillion mark.

When Apple announced its partnership with OpenAI in June, media reported that the iPhone maker would not pay OpenAI for integrating ChatGPT into Siri.

Meanwhile, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella was reportedly concerned about the implications of the deal.

Originally, both Microsoft and Apple planned to serve as observers on OpenAI's board, but due to antitrust concerns, both companies ultimately decided against this arrangement.

When Apple announced its AI projects at WWDC, it was already lagging behind competitors like Google and Microsoft in launching its own AI assistants.

However, by investing in OpenAI, Apple will be able to "keep pace with other tech giants," Bourne said.