Tim Cook says Apple is open to M&A on the AI front

Core Insights - Apple CEO Tim Cook indicated the company remains open to acquisitions and partnerships to enhance its AI capabilities, with a focus on integrating AI into its products and services [1][2] - The next-generation AI-powered Siri is on track for a 2026 launch, with significant progress reported [1][3] - Apple is pursuing a three-pronged approach to AI development, involving in-house foundation models, partnerships with third-party LLM providers, and potential acquisitions [2][3] Company Developments - Apple is actively monitoring the market for M&A opportunities that could advance its AI roadmap, with Cook emphasizing the company's openness to pursuing such opportunities [2] - The company is preparing to announce additional AI partnerships, similar to its collaboration with OpenAI to integrate ChatGPT into Siri and Apple Intelligence [2][3] - Apple is utilizing its Private Cloud Compute technology for various Siri queries and is expanding its infrastructure to support AI processing [3] Infrastructure and Market Impact - A new manufacturing plant in Houston has begun producing servers for Apple Intelligence, with plans for ramping up production for data centers [4] - Cook noted that AI influences consumer decision-making when selecting smartphones, expressing optimism about its growing importance in the market [4]