Apple is starting to look like an AI winner thanks to one advantage - 9to5Mac

In the ever-growing space of AI, Apple’s struggles have been well documented. But based on two recent reports, the company is starting to look more like an AI winner thanks to one advantage.

Apple has unique AI strength as platform owner, which Siri deal and financial restraint both demonstrate

Last week brought word that Apple and Google were close to striking a deal for the forthcoming Siri upgrade.

Reportedly, Google has built a custom AI model alongside Apple that will power Siri’s new iOS 26.4 features.

I wrote at the time that this is a good move both for Apple and its users. Apple gets to ship the long-awaited AI version of Siri, and users get to enjoy the benefits of an upgraded experience.

The company reportedly is only paying Google $1 billion per year, too. That’s far less than the ~$20 billion Google pays Apple annually to be Safari’s default search engine.

This deal shows how the strength of Apple’s hardware ecosystem gives the company a unique advantage in AI.

The iPhone is a sales juggernaut, and continues to be a powerful tool for AI features—whether used via third-party apps, system integrations such as ChatGPT, or Apple’s own AI offerings.

Being the platform owner lets Apple play a different game than other AI companies.

Now today, a new Bloomberg report indicates Wall Street is starting to recognize Apple’s advantage.

Ryan Vlastelica and Carmen Reinicke write:

Apple Inc. has faced plenty of criticism from Wall Street for not spending as aggressively on artificial intelligence as its Big Tech rivals. But that strategy is suddenly a blessing for the iPhone maker.

Investors are beginning to scrutinize the huge sums companies like OpenAI, Meta Platforms Inc. and Microsoft Corp. are spending on AI, leading to heavy volatility in what had been some of the year’s biggest momentum plays. As a result, Apple’s position is being re-evaluated.

Later in the article, after sharing positive analyst takes on Apple’s AI position, the writers continue:

The thesis is simple. Apple will benefit as it taps other companies’ models to deliver AI features to its millions of customers while avoiding much of the heavy spending required to develop its own capabilities, which is what many of its megacap peers are doing.

Financially speaking, the AI industry is very much in a bubble right now. Companies are making massive financial commitments amid operating losses that, one day, they will have to account for.

All of this makes Apple’s more restrained AI investment, while benefiting from others’ expenditures as the platform owner, suddenly look like a winning strategy.

Does the company need to improve its own in-house AI efforts? Certainly. But it seems the doom and gloom narrative around Apple and AI might be shifting.

What’s your view of Apple’s current position as relates to AI? Let us know in the comments.

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