Apple CEO Tim Cook informed investors that the company remains open to acquisitions and partnerships to advance its artificial intelligence initiatives. He made these comments during the company’s fourth quarter earnings call for 2025. Cook also provided a brief update on the next-generation, AI-powered Siri, confirming the service is still scheduled to launch in 2026. He stated that good progress is being made and that the release is expected next year.
During the call, an analyst asked if Apple was continuing its three-pronged strategy for developing its personalized AI. This approach combines in-house foundation models, partnerships with third-party large language model providers, and acquisitions. Cook confirmed that Apple is still open to acquisitions, noting the company constantly monitors the market for mergers and acquisitions and will pursue them if they can advance the company’s roadmap.
In a separate interview prior to the earnings report, Cook mentioned that Apple plans to announce more AI partnerships similar to its existing collaboration with OpenAI, which integrates ChatGPT into Siri and Apple Intelligence. He stated the intention is to integrate with more partners over time.
On the earnings call, Cook also discussed Apple’s method of creating foundation models, deploying them on devices, and utilizing them in Private Cloud Compute. This is the company’s cloud intelligence system designed for private AI processing. Cook shared that Apple is already using this Private Cloud Compute technology for a number of Siri queries and is continuing to build out that infrastructure. He revealed that the manufacturing plant producing the servers for Apple Intelligence began operations in Houston just a few weeks ago, with a ramp-up planned for use in the company’s data centers.
Cook additionally suggested that AI has become a factor in the consumer decision-making process when selecting a new smartphone. He expressed that Apple Intelligence is currently a factor and that the company is very bullish on it becoming an even greater influence in the future.