Apple Blocks BlueMail App With ChatGPT API Citing Potential Harm to Minors

OpenAI rolled out APIs for ChatGPT that allow third-party apps to integrate the generative AI chatbot in their system. While this opens up apps to ChatGPT's potential, Apple sees privacy issues and has blocked apps that have integrated the Microsoft-backed chatbot.

BlueMail App Blocked By Apple After ChatGPT Integration

BlueMail said Apple blocked a ChatGPT-powered feature added as an update to the mail app. Apple told BlueMail that AI-generated content required a 17+ age restriction on the app to guard minors against being exposed to inappropriate content.

The company has had previous history with Apple, as it sided with Epic Games demanding that Apple take a lesser commission from developers on the App Store.

What's New in the BlueMail App?

The latest update to BlueMail, a popular email app on iOS, brings a new feature that can pull text from past emails to help write new ones. The app can help automate emails using the content of prior emails and calendar events. This feature is powered by OpenAI's ChatGPT chatbot.

The company told WSJ that the Cupertino giant delayed the approval of the app over concerns about exposing minors to inappropriate content. Apple, on its part, said it is investigating the complaint and has directed BlueMail to file an appeal with the App Review Board.

Apple said the app while integrating the AI feature, does not appear to include content filtering currently. This violates the App Store policy against exposing minors to unmoderated and inappropriate content.

ChatGPT Integrated with Popular Apps

OpenAI has offered ChatGPT and Whisper models to third-party apps through APIs, offering developers language and speech-to-text capabilities. The company said it achieved a 90% cost reduction in operating ChatGPT through a series of system-wide optimizations.

Apps such as Snapchat, Quizlet, Instacart, Shop, Speak, and others have integrated the API in their apps, bringing new AI-infused features. Open API claims the public version of ChatGPT 3.5 Turbo is ten times cheaper than the existing models.

The API runs on Microsoft Azure cloud, and developers will have to pay for a certain period to get an allocation of computer infrastructure reserved for serving their requests.