Apple Intelligence
Tim Cook is finally opening up about Apple’s artificial intelligence ambitions and it’s clear the company is ready to play catch-up with intent. Speaking during Apple’s Q3 2025 earnings call, the CEO said Apple is “very open” to acquiring companies that can accelerate its AI roadmap, marking a shift from its traditionally tight-lipped, inward-looking approach.
“We’re investing significantly in AI,” Cook emphasized. “We’ve redirected people and resources toward it. We’re very open to M&A to accelerate our work.” This rare openness from Apple’s top executive showss how central AI has become to the company’s future and how much pressure it feels to respond to rivals like Microsoft, Google, and OpenAI.
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For years, Apple has treated AI as an internal technology layer, powerful but invisible. That changed with the launch of Apple Intelligence, the company’s new suite of AI features baked into iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia. These tools include writing suggestions, image cleanup, and even a new visual understanding system, but the most anticipated update – a fully revamped Siri – has been delayed to 2026.
Still, Cook says progress is steady. “We’re making great progress, and the new experiences are just the beginning,” he said. What’s different this time is not just the product lineup, but Apple’s posture. It has already acquired around seven companies this year, many tied to AI and machine learning, and more deals are likely on the table.
Apple’s historical acquisition strategy has been cautious and quiet, small teams, strategic technology, low risk. But now, the company says it’s not limiting itself by company size. “We’re not adverse to spending. If there’s a way to accelerate, we’ll do it,” Cook said.
That statement alone is enough to make analysts sit up. Apple has long preferred to build in-house rather than buy. But with the AI race speeding up, it’s clear Cook doesn’t want Apple to be left behind.
Chief Financial Officer Kevan Parekh added that capital expenditure is expected to grow substantially, primarily driven by AI infrastructure, including data centers and compute resources.
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“You’ll see that reflected in our numbers, though it won’t be exponential but meaningful,” Parekh said.
Apple has always prided itself on integrating AI in a “privacy-first” way. That continues, with all Apple Intelligence features being opt-in, processed on-device or via Private Cloud Compute, and tightly aligned with Apple’s long-standing user protection ethos.
But beneath the privacy language is a more aggressive Apple, a company aware it has catching up to do, and finally willing to spend, hire, and build faster.
Cook’s statements are the clearest yet that Apple sees generative AI as more than a feature, it’s a platform shift. From revamping Siri to rethinking how users interact with text, visuals, and workflows across devices, Apple is preparing for a future where AI isn’t just helpful, but it’s expected.
The competition is fierce. Google is embedding Gemini everywhere. Microsoft has Copilot in Windows. OpenAI is releasing agents. Apple, known for taking its time, is now accelerating. And with Tim Cook personally signaling readiness to open the checkbook, the AI era at Apple might truly begin.
Also read: WWDC 2025: Apple highlights AI in apps, but not in Siri
