Cook rarely holds an all-hands meeting: Apple must seize the AI opportunity and will launch a "modern version" product
Apple CEO Tim Cook held an all-hands meeting after the earnings report, emphasizing the importance of AI opportunities, stating that it is as significant as technologies like the internet and smartphones. He mentioned that Apple will invest resources to achieve breakthroughs, despite starting late in the AI field. The meeting also discussed several topics, including the retirement of the Chief Operating Officer and the growth of Apple TV+ users. Cook pointed out that tech giants face strict scrutiny and called on regulators to pay attention to the original intent of legislation. This meeting was held at Apple's headquarters, marking the company's emphasis on AI
According to Zhitong Finance APP, Apple (AAPL.US) CEO Tim Cook held a rare all-hands meeting after the earnings report, motivating employees around the prospects of artificial intelligence and the "amazing" product line. The executive gathered employees at the auditorium of the Cupertino headquarters in California on Friday, stating that the AI revolution is "as significant or more significant than the internet, smartphones, cloud computing, and applications."
Insiders revealed that Cook said, "Apple must seize this opportunity, and we will invest resources to achieve breakthroughs."
The iPhone manufacturer has been late to the AI field, with the launch of Apple Intelligence months behind companies like OpenAI, Google, and Microsoft. When Apple finally released its AI tools, the market response was lukewarm. However, Cook remains optimistic, pointing out that Apple has never been the first to adopt new technologies.
"We rarely do things first," Cook noted, citing examples: "There were PCs before the Mac, smartphones before the iPhone, several tablets before the iPad, and MP3 players before the iPod." He emphasized that Apple invented the "modern versions" of these products, and "AI feels the same way to me."
The hour-long meeting covered multiple topics: the retirement of Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams, user growth for Apple TV+, medical innovations in AirPods Pro hearing technology, as well as employee public welfare actions, the 2030 carbon neutrality goal, and regulatory impacts.
Cook admitted, "Tech giants are facing strict scrutiny globally, and we need to push regulators to focus on the original intent of legislation, rather than designs that harm user experience and privacy."
Cook often holds town hall-style discussions during global business trips, but it is rare to hold an all-hands meeting at the headquarters' Steve Jobs Theater. Prior to this meeting, Apple had just delivered a strong quarterly report: sales in the June quarter grew nearly 10%, exceeding Wall Street expectations and alleviating concerns about iPhone demand and a slowdown in the Chinese market.
Apple still faces many challenges, including tariffs from the Trump administration and regulatory scrutiny. The company stated that tariffs this quarter would result in a loss of $1.1 billion, but it remains optimistic about sales growth. Cook reiterated his statement from the earnings call, saying they are making "large-scale" investments in AI, having added 12,000 employees last year, 40% of whom are in research and development positions.
The chip development led by Senior Vice President of Hardware Technologies Johny Srouji is seen by Cook as the core of the AI strategy. Apple is developing a more powerful cloud computing chip codenamed "Baltra" and is building a new AI server factory in Houston.
Craig Federighi, Senior Vice President of Software Engineering, discussed the future of the Siri voice assistant, admitting that the AI version of Siri originally planned for release this year has been delayed due to architectural issues, and a new architecture version is currently in development, expected to debut as early as next spring.
Cook urged employees to accelerate the integration of AI into their work and future products: "The entire company must deeply apply AI, or we will fall behind." He also elaborated on retail strategy, emphasizing a focus on opening stores in emerging markets and investing in online stores, with new stores set to open this year in India, the UAE, and China, and entering Saudi Arabia next year Speaking about future products, Cook couldn't hide his excitement: "The current product line is amazing, some will be launched soon, while others will take time."
According to previous media reports, Apple plans to launch its first foldable iPhone next year, multiple smart home devices, while also developing new headsets, smart glasses, robotics technology, and preparing a special edition for the 20th anniversary of the iPhone
