Apple is preparing to roll out new enterprise-focused features this September, and artificial intelligence is at the center of its plans. Among the most notable additions is the ability for IT administrators to configure the use of an enterprise version of OpenAI’s ChatGPT. This gives businesses more control over how and where employees can access AI, making it easier to align usage with company policies and compliance requirements.
The enterprise ChatGPT integration is structured so it is not hard-coded to OpenAI alone. Instead, Apple’s system leaves room for IT departments to allow or restrict any external AI provider. This flexibility signals that Apple intends to expand enterprise AI beyond ChatGPT, giving companies the option to choose the models that best fit their needs. For organizations in industries such as healthcare, finance, and education, where data security is critical, Apple’s approach could prove more attractive than existing options from Microsoft or Google.
Apple has also made it clear that businesses will have the choice of processing AI data on-device or in the cloud, depending on their compliance rules. This aligns with the company’s Private Cloud Compute architecture but acknowledges that enterprises may need time to adapt sensitive systems to new infrastructure. By giving companies control over where data flows, Apple reinforces its privacy-first approach while still enabling advanced AI use cases.
In addition to AI, Apple is expanding its broader suite of enterprise tools this fall. A new API for Apple Business Manager will allow organizations to integrate Apple’s device management services into their existing IT systems, including MDM solutions, help desks, and inventory tools. Apple is also introducing new Device Management tools to make it easier to migrate devices to different management services, which is often necessary in mergers and acquisitions.
The Return to Service solution is being updated to allow devices to be wiped and prepared for the next user while leaving apps installed. This option will also extend to Vision Pro for the first time.
Shared Mac environments are gaining improvements too. An authenticated Guest Mode will allow employees to log in using their enterprise credentials, with their data erased on logout, while apps remain intact. Apple is also enabling NFC login for Macs, giving employees the ability to tap their iPhone or Apple Watch to access a system.
(via TechCrunch)
