If the billion-dollar AI investments from Microsoft, Google, and Amazon—along with skyrocketing salaries for AI talent—hadn’t already made it clear, Apple CEO Tim Cook just erased any doubt: The AI race is in full swing, and Apple is all in.
At a recent all-hands meeting at Apple’s Cupertino headquarters, Cook told employees that the AI revolution is “as big or bigger” than transformative technologies like the internet, smartphones, and cloud computing. Quoting Bloomberg’s Power On newsletter, Cook emphasized, “Apple must do this,” and declared the opportunity “ours to grab.” Despite Apple’s delayed entry into AI—its Apple Intelligence suite was only announced in June—Cook remains confident the company can outpace rivals, just as it did with past innovations
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Cook acknowledged Apple’s tendency to enter markets late but dominate them later: “We’ve rarely been first. There was a PC before the Mac; a smartphone before the iPhone; tablets before the iPad; and MP3 players before the iPod.” Yet, he argued, Apple redefined each category by creating the “modern” versions of these products—and AI will be no exception.
This isn’t just rhetoric. Cook revealed that 40% of the 12,000 employees hired last year are working in R&D, with AI as a top priority. Bloomberg also reported that Apple is developing a new cloud-computing chip (codenamed Baltra) to power future AI features. Cook has even signaled openness to acquisitions to fast-track progress, telling CNBC earlier this week, “We’re open to buying companies to accelerate our roadmap”
Apple isn’t alone in its urgency. Former Google CEO Sergey Brin recently mandated 60-hour office weeks to stay ahead in AI, while ex-OpenAI engineer Calvin French-Owen exposed burnout culture in the industry, describing a high-stakes environment so intense that employees were given a week off to recover. Cook’s rallying cry reflects this same do-or-die mindset—but with Apple’s signature focus on perfecting, not just pioneering
While Apple may have been slow to the AI starting line, Cook’s message is clear: The company plans to redefine the race. As with the iPhone and iPad, Apple bets on refinement over being first—and with billions in investments and talent shifts, it’s putting its money where its mouth is.
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