Apple's Focus on AI: Core Technology for All Products

Aug 04, 2023

During Apple Inc.’s recent earnings call, the topic of artificial intelligence (AI) was noticeably absent until an analyst brought it up. Unlike many of its tech peers, Apple executives do not discuss their AI strategy or investments extensively. However, when asked, Chief Executive Tim Cook emphasized the importance of AI and machine learning as core technologies for all of Apple’s products.

According to Cook, AI plays a critical role in recent software features such as live voicemails, digital voice replication, automatic crash detection, and fall detection. Apple has been conducting research in various AI technologies, including generative AI, for many years, and plans to continue these efforts. Despite the significance of AI to Apple’s products, Cook stated that the company’s approach is to announce new products when they are ready for consumers, rather than focusing on flashy AI marketing.

This reserved approach aligns with Apple’s brand identity, which prioritizes delivering excellent customer experiences over showcasing technical capabilities. It differs from other tech giants like Alphabet, Microsoft, and Meta Platforms, which extensively discuss AI technologies on their earnings calls. In contrast, Apple’s earnings call only mentioned AI six times during the question-and-answer session with an analyst from Deutsche Bank.

While Amazon falls in the middle with 34 mentions of AI on its earnings call, the number of AI mentions has been increasing over time. Apple remains consistent in its limited mentions of AI, choosing to let the products speak for themselves.

Overall, AI is a fundamental technology for Apple and is integrated into various products and features. The company’s emphasis on delivering customer-focused products rather than hyping up AI aligns with its brand philosophy.