Apple CEO John Ternus: 'We won't ship a product just for AI'

Apple chief executive John Ternus told Wired, 'We don't want to ship a product just because it's AI.'

Ternus, who officially took the helm at Apple in early September, framed that line as the company's guiding principle on artificial intelligence: Apple will incorporate AI into upcoming products, but it will not treat AI as an independent objective or ship features solely to claim an AI label. 'Everyone has an opinion, but I'm really satisfied with where we are,' he said.

The remark comes after roughly two years of criticism that Apple lags behind competitors on AI. Delays in delivering a more capable Siri were singled out as one reason for that criticism; Apple released the new version of the voice assistant this summer.

Design, detectability and AI agents

Ternus told Wired that if Apple uses AI correctly, users should not have to detect whether a feature is powered by AI or by conventional software. 'What matters is whether we've built something that people really love,' he said. Asked whether the rise of AI agents could eliminate the need for apps, Ternus said such a shift could make technology easier to use, but he emphasized that building products remains a deeply human and personal activity—one Apple enjoys.

Wired conducted the interview that produced these statements.