While rivals like Microsoft and Google are investing hundreds of billions of dollars to embed artificial intelligence across their operations, the executive poised to lead one of the world’s most influential companies is taking a more measured, product-first approach to AI.
“We never think about shipping a technology,” Ternus, 50, said in a recent interview with tech site Tom’s Guide. “We always think about how we can use technology to deliver great products.”
When he succeeds Tim Cook on September 1, that philosophy is expected to play a central role. Ternus’ strong focus on product development aligns with Apple’s long-standing tradition, at a time when the Cupertino-based company has already lost its position as the world’s most valuable firm to Nvidia.
Apple’s delayed rollout of its upgraded Siri assistant, along with its reliance on Google to power parts of its AI systems, has raised questions among some analysts about the company’s overall AI strategy.