Apple's new CEO faces an early test
John Ternus takes over as Apple CEO with the AI race, talent losses, China, and Trump on his to-do list.
On the first day of his tenure, Apple's new CEO John Ternus faces a daunting challenge. Apple is set to unveil its annual iPhone event on September 9, with the reported highlight being its first foldable iPhone. However, Ternus must also manage Apple's ambitious plans for AI, including a home hub, camera-equipped AirPods, smart glasses, and a robotic assistant.
The tech giant has a head start in AI-assistants, but now it finds itself playing catch-up, partly due to the delay of its Siri overhaul and the reliance on Google's Gemini for its next-generation Apple Intelligence.
Ternus's task is further complicated by talent losses within Apple. Notable figures like Ruoming Pang, Frank Chu, and Alan Dye have left the company for Meta, raising concerns about Apple's ability to compete in the AI space. Ternus must convince Apple's top talent that the future of innovation is still being built in Cupertino.
In addition to the talent challenge, Ternus inherits the complex task of navigating Apple's relationships with China, tariffs, and Washington. Tim Cook, now serving as executive chairman, has a proven track record in this area. Cook played a crucial role in expanding Apple's presence in China and helping the company navigate tariffs and supply chain challenges.
While Ternus will not have to handle these issues alone, the role of diplomacy in this context is a different type of engineering compared to his hardware background.
Written by urgent.news from Business Insider's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
