In recent years, Apple has become known as a safe AI stock that’s rarely recognized as an AI stock. The firm’s measured adoption of cutting-edge technologies means there are no first-mover advantages, but the artificial intelligence boom was never meant to be a sprint.
We’re about to see Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) enter a brave new world under the leadership of incumbent CEO John Ternus.
At Apple’s upcoming launch event, the headline-maker appears to be the arrival of the smartphone giant’s first-ever foldable iPhone, but it’s likely to be the firm’s statements on AI that carry the biggest impact.
Given that there has been very little of the seismic capex deployed by the AI hyperscalers that populate the Magnificent Seven, Apple has an opportunity to manage a far more measured AI rollout that paves the way for sustainable growth on Wall Street. But what does adoption look like under Ternus’ leadership? Let’s take a deeper look at how Apple can strategize being a late mover in the artificial intelligence boom:
AI Without a Buildout
Capex has increasingly entered the spotlight in 2026, with Magnificent Seven firms committing a combined $780 billion towards AI buildouts throughout the year.
The rate of spending has far exceeded 2025 figures already, which amounted to around $400 billion in comparison.
But Apple has remained on the sidelines as its peers have spent big. Throughout the first nine months of fiscal 2026, the company spent approximately $6.8 billion on capital expenditures, with around $14 billion projected for the full year.
It’s this cautious strategy that could pay dividends over the long term, particularly because Apple’s unique market position could enable the company to reach a massive audience without the need to construct data centers at scale.
With 2.5 billion active devices in circulation and the recently unveiled Siri AI running on custom silicon, Apple has the potential to overtake many of its peers as part of its artificial intelligence adoption cycle.
Critically, Apple has been hard at work in building integrated systems to support its AI rollout, and because the company controls its hardware, operating system, and the chips inside its devices, as well as already possessing a gigantic user base, its future artificial intelligence innovations have the potential to enter mainstream usage in a frictionless way.
Apple Intelligence is already helping to make this a reality, and while some AI tasks can run directly on its devices, more complex requests can be referred to private cloud compute servers, paving the way for faster and private iterations on AI on-device while still tapping into the cloud as and when required.
This means that Apple doesn’t necessarily have to build out AI data centers to the same extent as its rivals, allowing for a more agile approach.
While first-mover advantage counts for a lot on Wall Street, Apple may ultimately benefit from its patient approach, which has ensured that capex remains low while its rollout of AI devices stays as impactful as ever.
Is AAPL a Buy?
We will know more about Apple’s strength as an AI innovator in the coming days as we see new products enter the market, as well as find out what’s next for Siri AI and other intelligent software linked to iOS.
In a more bullish scenario, we could see the easy accessibility of Apple’s AI initiatives support personal and business use cases alike, with smart applications enhancing the capabilities of firms in different industries.
This higher level of adoption means that Apple’s second-mover advantage and sustainable approach to capex could see a target of $380 become achievable.
The recent deal with Broadcom, which will see Apple pay in excess of $30 billion for the production of more than 15 million US-made chips, is a statement of intent for the future of the stock, which is expected to enter $5 trillion market cap territory as its AI rollout gathers momentum.
As a result, AAPL is certainly a stock to track, and could offer plenty of upside for investors who have been big believers in the potential of AI but remain wary of high spending among hyperscalers.
Future Ambitions
Although new CEO John Ternus faces a big challenge in maintaining the progress that’s been built by his predecessors, he’s inherited a company that’s ripe for growth thanks to its measured AI buildout.
Although Apple won’t be indulging in the same big spending as its hyperscaler peers with data center construction taking center stage in the AI boom at present, there are plenty of economic moats that can easily push the firm to the forefront of artificial intelligence adoption in the months ahead.
Apple’s upcoming launch event will be a watershed moment for the stock with the expected announcement of the company’s first flip phone. But in terms of securing future growth, it will be positive remarks regarding Apple’s AI innovations that will provide the biggest hints for the stock’s long-term outlook.
Disclosure: On the date of publication, Dmytro Spilka did not hold (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer. Dmytro Spilka does not intend to make a trade in any of the securities mentioned above in the next 72 hours.
Benzinga Disclaimer: This article is from an unpaid external contributor. It does not represent Benzinga’s reporting and has not been edited for content or accuracy.