Tim Cook on Apple's M&A Strategy for AI | Apple News

Apple Remains Open to AI-Related Acquisitions and Partnerships

Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, has indicated to investors that the company maintains an active interest in both acquisitions and strategic partnerships as a means of accelerating progress in the field of artificial intelligence (AI).

Q4 2025 Earnings Call Insights

These statements were delivered during Apple’s Q4 2025 earnings call this week. The executive also provided a concise update regarding the next-generation Siri, powered by AI, confirming its anticipated launch in 2026.

“We are achieving substantial progress, and as previously communicated, we anticipate its release next year,” Cook stated during his initial remarks.

A Three-Pronged AI Development Strategy

An analyst inquired whether Apple continues to pursue a three-part strategy for the development of its personalized AI. This strategy encompasses internally developed Apple foundation models, collaborations with external Large Language Model (LLM) providers, and potential acquisitions.

Cook affirmed Apple’s continued openness to acquisitions, emphasizing the company’s ongoing monitoring of the market for Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) opportunities. He noted that Apple is prepared to pursue M&A if it aligns with and advances their product roadmap.

Expanding AI Partnerships

Prior to the earnings call, Cook shared with CNBC that Apple is preparing to announce additional AI partnerships, similar to the existing collaboration with OpenAI for integrating ChatGPT into Siri and Apple Intelligence.

“Our goal is to broaden integration with more partners over time,” Cook explained to the news outlet.

Private Cloud Compute and Foundation Models

During the earnings call, Cook elaborated on Apple’s approach to creating foundation models. These models are deployed directly on devices and utilized within Private Cloud Compute, a cloud intelligence system specifically engineered for secure, private AI processing.

Apple is currently leveraging its Private Cloud Compute technology for a growing number of Siri requests, and is actively expanding this infrastructure, Cook revealed.

Manufacturing and Infrastructure Growth

“Indeed, the facility producing the servers for Apple Intelligence recently commenced operations in Houston just weeks ago, with a planned scaling of production for use in our data centers. The system is proving to be highly capable,” he added.

AI as a Purchasing Factor

Cook also suggested that AI capabilities are increasingly influencing consumer decisions when choosing a new smartphone.

“I believe that Apple Intelligence is already a consideration, and we are optimistic that its influence will continue to grow,” he concluded.