Tim Cook: We spent on AI companies in the quarter, but nobody big
Apple is increasing its investment in artificial intelligence and made seven acquisitions in 2025, according to CEO Tim Cook.
Apple acquires AI companies
In a recent CNBC interview following the company's earnings call, Cook said Apple has acquired seven companies in 2025. He explained that the deals covered different parts of the company and weren't all focused on AI.
"None of those have been huge in terms of dollar amount," Cook said. "But we're open to M&A that accelerates our roadmap, and we're not closing anything off there."
Apple has a history of buying smaller companies that bring in useful technology or talent. The company rarely publicizes its acquisitions, and the purchases are usually designed to strengthen existing products or infrastructure.
Its biggest deal so far remains Beats Electronics, which it bought for about $3 billion in 2014.
The latest round of deals continues that pattern. Apple is staying focused on strategic moves that fit its long-term goals rather than chasing headline-making acquisitions.
AI spending steps up in back-to-back quarters
Cook also said Apple is putting more money into AI. While he didn't give a specific number, he confirmed that spending increased in the June quarter and is set to rise again in the September quarter.
The company previewed Apple Intelligence during WWDC in June. The platform powers new features like improved Siri, writing tools, and custom emoji. It uses a mix of on-device processing and private cloud services to protect user privacy.
Apple's strategy is focused on keeping control. Instead of chasing scale for its own sake, the company is building AI features that work closely with its hardware and software.
That focus on integration helps Apple maintain quality and privacy, but it could limit how fast it moves in areas that depend on massive data or compute power. Even so, the increase in AI spending shows that Apple knows it can't sit still.
The tech world is changing quickly, and users expect smarter tools. Apple is responding in a way that fits its brand and mostly behind the scenes.
Siri revamp still in progress
Apple has delayed the launch of its AI-enhanced Siri, but Cook said the company is "making good progress on a personalized Siri." The assistant will play a central role in Apple's AI efforts.
In a Reuters interview, Cook emphasized Apple's broader approach to AI. "Apple has always been about taking the most advanced technologies and making them easy to use and accessible for everyone," he said, "and that's at the heart of our AI strategy."
Unlike rivals that have poured billions into large language models and data centers, Apple has so far avoided massive capital spending on AI infrastructure. Even so, Cook confirmed the company is "significantly growing" its AI investments.
During the earnings call with analysts, Cook confirmed that Apple's efforts with the upgraded Siri is going as planned and will launch in 2026. That's in line with previous reports.
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Comments
Folks should just pass on the iPhone 17 series that is rumored to get 12GB of ram when next year we will see 16GB of ram on every Apple product as the minimum for Apple AI (what ever that means) and all prior generations will have crippled performance due to insufficient memory.
The tariffs will just add insult to injury to the buying public. Hopefully, Apple sales tank and they have an awakening that lying to the customer base has consequences.
Somehow, from 1990 to 2024, Apple was able to introduce new products without a bunch of significant lies. The deceptive advertising happened on Tim Cook's watch and there should be negative responses from the Board of Directors and certainly NO bonus money or stock options. Somebody has to be held accountable that is currently employed or soon to be a "former" employee of Apple.
They're significantly growing AI investments. They're watering their AI every day.
iOS is not macOS, and the replacement cycles are not the same. "Crippled performance" is hyperbole.
One normally does not take risks that jeopardize a companies reputation.
As we now know a full year later there was NO releasable AI or Siri software then or now. There was no magic hat that could have produced a rabbit during the last twelve months and they have admitted it will now be "perhaps" in 2026.
The iPhones we had (iPhone 13 Pro Max and iPhone 14 Pro Max) were working just fine and we would NOT have acquired two iPhone 16 Pro Max units if the feature set diid not have improved Siri and AI per the presentation.
I was working with the source code of a full Manufacturing and Accounting software package back in the 70s and 80s that ran on DEC PDP-11 and Vax and know quite a bit about software development. I started in the computer world in the early 70s and still like to do custom work all these years later. I have used Apple products since 1990 and this false announcement was one of their more memorable screw ups.
We are probably about a month away from the next dog and pony show. During this last year, Apple seems to have moved all other product lines to 16GB of memory for AI they said. The iPhone 17 is rumored to have 12GB while the iPhone 16 was raised to 8GB. The iPhone 18 most likely will have 16GB of memory and that will be probably announced as the minimum necessary for AI. So the two prior year models will be obsolete and under powered memory wise.
Neat way to really shaft the customer base. But some prior customers may leave and never come back as their trust of Apple's word is gone. Deceptions have a way of coming around and biting a vendor in the back side at the most inconvenient or embarrassing time.
Is Apple too big to be held accountable by even DOJ?
Seems like their customer base is being played for fools and there is no redress for possible wrongs committed. With perhaps a dozen or so exceptions (including the billionaires), no private individual has the resources to use our court system to seek redress.
And that is before mentioning that many folks in power are bought and paid for by special interests.
As a long time customer of Apple and having spent more than many others, I feel powerless and realize the John Wayne comment applies
"Suck it Up Buttercup" cause an individual like me can do nothing to get Apple's attention.