Apple Ramps Up AI Investments Amid Market Pressure

Apple CEO Tim Cook revealed aggressive plans to accelerate the company's AI capabilities during Thursday's earnings call. The tech giant is significantly increasing investments and reallocating internal resources toward artificial intelligence development, signaling a strategic shift to close the gap with Big Tech rivals.

Market reaction was immediate, with Apple shares rising over 2% in after-hours trading following better-than-expected earnings. The stock had previously underperformed other Magnificent Seven members, down 17% year-to-date amid concerns about delayed AI features. A revamped, AI-powered Siri now won't debut until 2026—a setback from the originally promised spring 2025 launch.

Cook openly discussed acquisition strategies to bolster Apple's AI roadmap, having already purchased seven companies this year. "We're very open to M&A that accelerates our roadmap," he stated, acknowledging Wall Street's calls for external partnerships to complement internal development efforts.