Apple CEO Tim Cook has signaled the company’s continued openness to mergers and acquisitions, partnerships, and strategic investments to accelerate its AI ambitions, during the company’s Q4 2025 earnings call. Speaking to investors, Cook confirmed that Apple’s next-generation, AI-powered Siri is still on track for a 2026 launch, stating, “We’re making good progress on it, and as we’ve shared, we expect to release it next year.” He emphasized that Apple Intelligence — the company’s broader AI initiative — is a key driver in consumer decision-making, adding, “I would say that Apple Intelligence is a factor, and we’re very bullish on it becoming a greater factor.” Cook also addressed Apple’s three-pronged strategy for building personalized AI: in-house foundation models, third-party partnerships, and targeted acquisitions. When asked about the company’s M&A strategy, he confirmed Apple remains open to pursuing deals if they advance its AI roadmap. “We are open to pursuing M&A if we think that it will advance our roadmap,” he said, echoing a similar statement from July. This suggests Apple is actively monitoring the market for potential AI talent, technology, and intellectual property. In a pre-earnings interview with CNBC, Cook hinted at more upcoming AI partnerships beyond the existing integration with OpenAI, which brought ChatGPT into Siri and Apple Intelligence. “Our intention is to integrate with more people over time,” he said, indicating a broader ecosystem approach. This aligns with comments from Apple software SVP Craig Federighi, who previously mentioned the possibility of integrating models like Google Gemini in the future. Apple is also making significant infrastructure investments to support its AI vision. Cook revealed that the manufacturing plant in Houston, which produces servers for Apple Intelligence, has begun operations. These servers are designed for Apple’s Private Cloud Compute system — a privacy-focused cloud infrastructure that processes AI tasks locally and securely. “In fact, the manufacturing plant that makes the servers used for Apple Intelligence just started manufacturing in Houston a few weeks ago, and we’ve got a ramp planned there for use in our data centers. And, you know, it’s robust,” Cook said, underscoring the company’s commitment to scalable, secure AI infrastructure. Apple’s financial performance remains strong, with Q4 2025 revenue reaching a record $102.5 billion — an 8% increase year-over-year. iPhone revenue totaled $49.03 billion, driven in part by the new iPhone 17 lineup, which includes the thinnest Apple device yet, the iPhone Air, alongside upgraded iPhone 17 and 17 Pro models. Notably, Apple brought Pro-level features like ProMotion and always-on displays to its standard iPhone for the first time. Mac revenue rose to $8.72 billion, and iPad sales reached $6.95 billion. Apple’s services division, encompassing Apple TV+, Apple Music, Apple Fitness Plus, and Apple Arcade, grew to $28.8 billion, reflecting continued consumer engagement with its ecosystem. While Apple has not yet detailed the full scope of its AI-powered Siri upgrade, the company is clearly investing heavily in both hardware and software to ensure privacy, performance, and innovation. The combination of in-house AI development, strategic partnerships, and infrastructure expansion positions Apple to compete more aggressively in the rapidly evolving generative AI landscape. As AI becomes a central factor in consumer technology choices, Apple’s cautious but ambitious approach — balancing privacy, performance, and ecosystem integration — could define its next chapter in the tech industry.