Apple CEO Tim Cook just dropped a major strategic signal during the company's Q4 earnings call - the tech giant is actively eyeing acquisitions to supercharge its AI ambitions. With next-gen Siri on track for 2026 and Apple Intelligence still ramping up, Cook's openness to M&A marks a notable shift for a company that's historically preferred building over buying.
Apple just shifted its M&A playbook in a big way. During Thursday's Q4 earnings call, CEO Tim Cook made it crystal clear that the company isn't just building Apple Intelligence from scratch - it's actively hunting for acquisitions that could fast-track its AI ambitions.
"We continually surveils the market on M&A and are open to pursuing M&A if we think that it will advance our roadmap," Cook told investors when pressed about Apple's three-pronged AI development strategy. The admission marks a notable departure for a company that's historically preferred organic growth over splashy acquisitions.
The timing isn't coincidental. Apple's racing to catch up in an AI landscape dominated by OpenAI, Google, and Microsoft. While competitors have been shipping AI features for years, Apple Intelligence only began rolling out this fall with mixed reception from users and developers alike.
Cook offered a rare update on the company's most ambitious AI project - a completely rebuilt Siri powered by large language models. "We're making good progress on it, and as we've shared, we expect to release it next year," he said during opening remarks. The 2026 timeline hasn't shifted, but industry insiders suggest the project faces significant technical hurdles around on-device processing and privacy preservation.
Beyond acquisitions, Apple's doubling down on partnerships. In a pre-earnings CNBC interview, Cook hinted at expanding beyond the current OpenAI integration that brings ChatGPT into Siri and Apple Intelligence. "Our intention is to integrate with more people over time," he told the network, though he didn't name specific partners.
The infrastructure buildout is already massive. Cook revealed that Apple's Private Cloud Compute manufacturing facility in Houston just started production "a few weeks ago." These specialized servers handle AI processing for queries too complex for on-device chips, maintaining Apple's privacy-first approach while competing with cloud-based AI services.
"We've got a ramp planned there for use in our data centers. And, you know, it's robust," Cook said, suggesting Apple's preparing for significant scale. The company's already routing "a number of Siri queries" through Private Cloud Compute, though Cook didn't specify what percentage of total requests.
