Defending the perceived delay
Apple’s new chief executive, John Ternus, rejected the idea that the company is behind in developing artificial intelligence. In an interview with Steven Levy of Wired, reported by TechCrunch, the executive — a longtime company veteran and at the helm since September 1 of this year — acknowledged that “everyone has their own opinion,” but said he appreciates the company’s current position.
The issue of the delay had emerged in recent years: according to TechCrunch, Apple has often been described as lagging on AI, particularly after the postponement of a more powerful version of Siri, which arrived only this summer. Ternus did not dispute these facts, but chose to read them as a matter of choices rather than weakness.
The stance: AI must not be an end in itself
The central point of the position expressed by the CEO concerns how artificial intelligence should enter products. Ternus said Apple will “absolutely” use AI in new devices, but added: “We don’t want to release AI just for the sake of it.” When the work is done well, according to the executive, people should not have to think about whether it was AI or more traditional software that made something possible: what matters is whether something the user truly appreciates has been built.
This is a statement, not a technical demonstration: the material contains no details on products, features or deadlines, nor any indication of which part of Apple’s ecosystem will integrate the announced capabilities. The claim should therefore be read as a declared strategic direction, to be verified in upcoming releases.
Agents and product creation
When pressed by Levy on the idea that AI agents could make things like apps superfluous, Ternus replied that such an evolution “could make life really easy,” but also argued that creating products is “a deeply human and personal thing, something we love to do.” The phrase signals a distinction between task automation and the creative process, but does not clarify how the company intends to handle any agents within its ecosystem.
The comparison between the two statements — openness to AI and caution about agents — is one of the most interesting elements of the interview, because it suggests Apple wants to retain control over the user experience. It remains to be seen, however, and the material does not say, whether this approach will translate into concrete product choices or remain a position in principle.
What remains to be verified
The available information is limited to the CEO’s words and the context of Siri’s delay. No data emerges on investments, roadmap, partnerships or results. To assess the impact of the announced line, verifiable indications will be needed: which AI functions will arrive, on what timeline and with what degree of integration with existing software.
The news is relevant because it clarifies how Apple’s new leadership intends to position itself publicly on the industry’s most discussed topic, but the gap between statements and products is the variable the material does not allow us to measure.
