Apple has struggled to keep pace with rivals such as Microsoft and Google, both of which have attracted hundreds of millions of users to their AI-powered chatbots and assistants. That growth has come at a steep cost, however, with Google planning to spend US85-billion over the next year and Microsoft on track to spend more than 100-billion, mostly on data centres.
Apple, in contrast, has leaned on outside data centre providers to handle some of its cloud computing work, and despite a high-profile partnership with ChatGPT creator OpenAI for certain iPhone features, has tried to grow much of its AI technology in-house, including improvements to its Siri virtual assistant. The results have been rocky, with the company delaying its Siri improvements until next year.
During a conference call after Apples fiscal third-quarter results, analysts noted that Apple has historically not done large deals and asked whether it might take a different approach to pursue its AI ambitions. CEO Cook responded that the company had already acquired seven smaller companies this year and is open to buying larger ones.
Were very open to M A that accelerates our road map. We are not stuck on a certain size company, although the ones that we have acquired thus far this year are small in nature, Cook said. We basically ask ourselves whether a company can help us accelerate a road map, and if they do, then were interested.
Apple executives have said in court they are considering reshaping the firms Safari browser with AI-powered search functions, and Bloomberg News has reported that Apple executives have discussed buying Perplexity.