Apple CEO Cook commits to major AI funding boost.

Apple made a clear statement on Thursday, indicating a stronger commitment to closing the gap in the competitive AI landscape.

"We view artificial intelligence as one of the most transformative technologies of our era. We are deeply integrating it across all our devices, platforms, and the entire organization, while also making substantial increases in our investment," stated CEO Tim Cook during the Q3 2025 earnings call. He added, "Apple's core mission has always been to take cutting-edge technology and make it intuitive and accessible for everyone—a principle that lies at the heart of our AI approach."

Cook elaborated further, revealing that Apple is "reassigning a significant number of personnel" to concentrate on AI development.

"We have an exceptional team, and we are directing our full efforts and resources toward this initiative," he continued.

The company noted that its AI investments are contributing to higher capital expenditure, which has risen year-to-date. Apple clarified, however, that it maintains a hybrid investment model, relying on third parties for major capital projects, which prevents this spending from increasing at an exponential rate.

Prior to the earnings call, Apple mentioned in a CNBC interview that it is considering mergers and acquisitions to accelerate its development timeline. The company informed the network that it has already purchased seven companies this year. Cook noted that none of these acquisitions were "particularly large" in terms of financial scale.

During the call, he added that Apple is currently acquiring companies at a pace of roughly one every few weeks.

Tech and VC Leaders Join the Disrupt 2025 Agenda

Netflix, ElevenLabs, Wayve, and Sequoia Capital are just a few of the industry giants set to speak at Disrupt 2025. They will share crucial insights to drive startup growth and give you a competitive advantage. Don't miss the 20th anniversary of TechCrunch Disrupt, your opportunity to learn from leading tech voices — secure your ticket now and save up to $675 before prices increase.

Tech and VC Leaders Join the Disrupt 2025 Agenda

Netflix, ElevenLabs, Wayve, and Sequoia Capital are just a few of the industry giants set to speak at Disrupt 2025. They will share crucial insights to drive startup growth and give you a competitive advantage. Don't miss the 20th anniversary of TechCrunch Disrupt, your opportunity to learn from leading tech voices — secure your ticket now and save up to $675 before prices increase.

Apple has faced criticism for being unprepared for the AI wave, having announced several AI features that have yet to materialize. The company was even accused of demonstrating an enhanced, AI-powered version of Siri that was far from ready for public release.

In its defense, Apple has argued that there is no need to rush. The company believes releasing flawed features or products merely to be first would be a strategic error, especially if they fail to perform as advertised.

To date, Apple reports it has launched over 20 Apple Intelligence features, including tools for visual analysis, photo cleanup, and writing assistance.

Later this year, Apple aims to introduce AI capabilities such as live translation and an AI-powered fitness coach, although the more personalized upgrades for Siri have been postponed to 2026. Cook told investors the company is "making good progress" on the Siri update.

Cook also addressed how AI might affect the iPhone business in light of potential new hardware form factors. For example, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently suggested that AI glasses will become the primary way people interact with the technology, implying those without them could be at a disadvantage.

Cook, predictably, expressed a different view.

"It's hard to imagine a future where the iPhone doesn't play a central role," he said. "This doesn't mean we aren't exploring other possibilities, but we believe future AI devices will likely complement, rather than replace, the iPhone."

The executive chose not to specify which AI technologies might become standardized commodities, stating that such details would reveal too much of Apple's strategic planning.

Apple reported stronger-than-anticipated iPhone sales and record revenue for Q3, leading to a rise in its stock price during after-hours trading.

This article was updated following initial publication to include additional details from the earnings call.