While other tech companies push out AI tools at full speed, Apple is taking its time. Its Apple Intelligence features – shown off at WWDC – won’t reach most users until at least 2025 or even 2026. Some see this as Apple falling behind, but the company’s track record suggests it prefers to launch only when products are ready.

In contrast, competitors like Microsoft, OpenAI, and Google have already shipped AI features widely – often with bugs and unreliable results, and usually whether or not users ask for them. AI assistants today still struggle with accuracy, consistency, and usefulness in many tasks.

Apple seems to be watching from the sidelines, waiting for the tech to mature. Instead of flooding iOS with half-working tools, it’s holding back. That strategy may pay off if users lose patience with AI that overpromises and underdelivers.

Apple has done this before – launching smartwatches and tablets late, but with stronger products. And since it already owns the hardware and software, and controls its own app store, it can afford to wait.

If current AI tools don’t improve soon, Apple’s slower, more cautious rollout might look less like hesitation and more like smart planning.

That measured approach doesn’t mean Apple is sitting still. Behind the scenes, the company is ramping up investment, hiring, and internal coordination to prepare for an AI shift. That strategy was on full display during a recent all-hands meeting at Apple’s headquarters, where CEO Tim Cook rallied employees and laid out the company’s AI ambitions.

Apple is getting serious about artificial intelligence, and Cook wants everyone at the company on board. As reported by Bloomberg, during a rare all-company gathering at its Cupertino HQ, he spoke directly to employees about what’s next. His message was clear: Apple has to win in AI – and now is the time to make that happen.

Cook called AI a once-in-a-generation shift, comparing its impact to that of the internet, smartphones, and cloud computing. “Apple must do this. Apple will do this. This is sort of ours to grab,” he said, according to people who were there. He promised Apple would spend what it takes to compete.

The company has been slower than others to roll out AI tools. Apple Intelligence – its main AI offering – was introduced long after companies like OpenAI, Google, and Microsoft launched its own products. And even when Apple finally announced its plans, the reaction was underwhelming.

See also: Why Apple is playing it slow with AI

But Cook pointed out that Apple has often shown up late to new technology – only to redefine it. “There was a PC before the Mac; there was a smartphone before the iPhone,” he reminded employees. “There were many tablets before the iPad.” Apple didn’t invent those categories, he said, it just made them work better.

Building the future of Siri

Much of the company’s current AI work centres on Siri, its voice assistant. Apple had originally planned a major overhaul as part of Apple Intelligence, adding features powered by large language models. But that rollout was delayed, leading to internal shakeups and a rethink of the entire system.

Craig Federighi, Apple’s software chief, told employees that trying to merge old and new versions of Siri didn’t work. The team tried to keep the original system for basic tasks like setting timers, while adding generative AI features for more complex requests. But that hybrid setup didn’t meet Apple’s standards. “We realised that approach wasn’t going to get us to Apple quality,” he said.

Now, the team is rebuilding Siri from the ground up. A completely new version is in the works, expected as early as spring 2026. Federighi said the results so far have been strong and could lead to more improvements than originally planned. “There is no project people are taking more seriously,” he told staff.

A key figure behind this new direction is Mike Rockwell, the executive who led development on Apple’s Vision Pro headset. Rockwell and his software team are now leading Siri’s redesign. Federighi said they’ve “supercharged” the work and brought a new level of focus.

Investing in AI talent and tools

Apple is also expanding its AI team quickly. Cook said the company hired 12,000 people in the past year, with 40% of them joining research and development, with many of those hires are focused on AI.

Part of the work involves hardware. Apple is building new chips specifically designed for AI, including a more powerful server chip known internally as “Baltra.” The company is also opening an AI server farm in Houston to support future projects.

Beyond Siri, Apple is quietly building what could become a major AI tool. According to Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman, Apple has formed a team called “Answers, Knowledge, and Information” (AKI). The group’s job is to create search that works more like ChatGPT – giving direct answers rather than just showing links.

The AKI team is led by Robby Walker, who reports to AI chief John Giannandrea, and Apple has already started hiring engineers for the group. While details are still limited, the project appears to include backend systems, search algorithms, and potentially even a standalone app.

A push to move faster

Cook also encouraged employees to start using AI more in their work. “All of us are using AI in a significant way already, and we must use it as a company as well,” he said. He told employees to bring ideas to their managers and find ways to get AI tools into products faster.

The sense of urgency was echoed during Apple’s recent earnings call. The company posted strong results, with nearly 10% growth in the June quarter – enough to ease concerns about slowing iPhone sales and weak results from the Chinese market. Cook told investors Apple would “significantly” increase its spending on AI.

Yet challenges remain. Apple expects to face a $1.1 billion hit from tariffs this quarter and continues to deal with antitrust pressures in the US and Europe, where regulators are watching closely to see how the company runs its App Store and handles user data.

Cook acknowledged these issues at the staff meeting, saying Apple would continue pushing regulators to adopt rules that don’t hurt privacy or user experience. “We need to continue to push on the intention of the regulation,” he said, “instead of these things that destroy the user experience and user privacy and security.”

New stores, new markets

Beyond AI, Cook touched on Apple’s retail strategy. The company plans to open new stores in emerging markets, including India, the United Arab Emirates, and China. A store in Saudi Arabia is also on the way. Apple is also putting more focus on its online store.

“We need to be in more countries,” Cook said, adding that most of Apple’s future growth will come from new markets. That doesn’t mean existing regions will be ignored, but the company sees more opportunity in expanding its global footprint.

What’s next for Apple products

While Cook didn’t reveal any product details, he said, “I have never felt so much excitement and so much energy before as right now.”

Reports suggest Apple is working on several new devices, including a foldable iPhone, new smart glasses, updated home devices, and robotics. A major iPhone redesign is also rumoured for its 20th anniversary next year.

Cook didn’t confirm any of this, but he hinted at big things ahead. “The product pipeline, which I can’t talk about: It’s amazing, guys. It’s amazing,” he said. “Some of it you’ll see soon, some of it will come later, but there’s a lot to see.”

Cautious but confident

Apple’s cautious approach to AI may have slowed it down, but internally, the company seems to believe that slow and steady might win the race. Cook’s message to employees was clear: Apple can still define what useful, responsible AI looks like – and it’s all hands on deck to get there.

(Photo by: Apple via YouTube)

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