Tim Cook: Apple 'must' win in AI, pledges increased investment

Apple CEO Tim Cook recently delivered a direct message to employees during an hour-long all-hands meeting, emphasizing the company’s imperative to “win” in the field of artificial intelligence. The internal address, reported by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, closely followed Cook’s public remarks to investors and analysts, where he pledged a “significant” increase in Apple’s AI investments.

During the employee gathering, Cook reportedly reiterated this strategic focus, stating, “Apple must do this. Apple will do this. This is sort of ours to grab.” This assertive stance underscores a critical period for the tech giant as it navigates the rapidly evolving AI landscape.

Despite having introduced a range of AI-powered functionalities under its “Apple Intelligence” umbrella over the past year, the company has faced challenges, particularly with promised upgrades to its voice assistant, Siri, which have experienced notable delays. Cook himself appeared to acknowledge the competitive pressures and the perception that Apple might be lagging behind some rivals in certain AI advancements.

In a candid moment, Cook reportedly drew parallels to Apple’s historical approach to innovation, stating, “We’ve rarely been first.” He cited several examples: “There was a PC before the Mac; there was a smartphone before the iPhone; there were many tablets before the iPad; there was an MP3 player before iPod.” However, he conveyed that Apple’s strategy has consistently been to refine and perfect, ultimately inventing the “modern” versions of these foundational products.

This historical perspective suggests that while Apple may not always lead the initial charge in new technology categories, its strength lies in its ability to integrate, polish, and popularize, transforming nascent concepts into mainstream, user-friendly experiences. Cook’s clear directive to employees signals that Apple intends to apply this same philosophy to artificial intelligence, aiming not just to participate but to dominate the sector by delivering highly refined and impactful AI solutions to its vast user base.