Apple Inc. Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook has reportedly told employees that the tech giant “must” win the race in artificial intelligence (AI), signalling a strategic shift amid rising competition from rivals such as Microsoft, Google, and OpenAI.
According to a report by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Cook made the comments during an hourlong all-hands meeting with Apple staff this week. The internal push comes just days after Apple’s quarterly earnings call, where Cook told investors the company would “significantly” increase its investments in AI technologies.
“Apple must do this. Apple will do this. This is sort of ours to grab,” Cook was quoted as saying, hinting at Apple’s growing urgency to reassert itself in the rapidly evolving AI sector.
While Apple has rolled out various AI-powered features under its new ‘Apple Intelligence’ initiative, the tech giant has yet to make a substantial mark compared to its Silicon Valley competitors. Notably, Apple’s long-awaited improvements to Siri have been delayed, drawing criticism that the company is lagging behind in generative AI capabilities.
During the internal meeting, Cook appeared to acknowledge the criticism but defended Apple’s innovation strategy, noting that the company has historically been a late entrant — but a transformative one.
“We’ve rarely been first,” he reportedly told staff. “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 the iPod.”
Cook’s remarks suggest that while Apple may not have led the initial wave of AI innovation, it aims to redefine the landscape much like it did with previous product categories.
The internal comments reflect a broader industry trend, where AI is seen as the next frontier in consumer technology. Microsoft has already embedded AI deeply into its Windows and Office platforms through OpenAI’s models, while Google has launched Gemini-powered products across its ecosystem.
Apple, traditionally secretive about its roadmap, is now under pressure to publicly demonstrate its AI capabilities ahead of major updates expected later this year. Analysts say the company’s upcoming iPhone launch and software updates could be crucial in signaling how far Apple is willing — and able — to go in integrating AI across its devices.
Despite the delay in Siri’s overhaul, industry insiders expect Apple’s strength in hardware-software integration and its vast install base to provide a strong foundation for future AI offerings.
