Apple’s continuing artificial intelligence (AI) problems mean a few brave analysts are saying the quiet part out loud: it might be time for Tim Cook to go.
“Apple now needs a product-focused CEO, not one centred on logistics,” New York-based LightShed Partners said in a recent note.
The note made waves, but Cook’s position is thought to be secure. Apple’s board is loyal and while shares have lagged behind over the past year few investors are reaching for the panic button.
Under Cook, Apple’s market value has ballooned from $340 billion (€293 billion) to $3.1 trillion, a return that tends to silence complaints. Still, that Cook’s position is even being discussed says something.
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No one disputes Cook’s achievements – even LightShed admits he has done “a great job” since 2011 – but some wonder if the traits that suited Apple’s past may not fit its future.
A master of optimisation, Cook perfects rather than pioneers. That made him the ideal steward of Apple’s golden decade. Under his tenure, margins stayed fat, supply chains got leaner and stock buy-backs flowed. He kept the iPhone at the heart of a sleek ecosystem and steered Apple through Covid and geopolitical headwinds.
However, much of this success came from refining and scaling ideas inherited from the Steve Jobs era. Whether he’s the one to lead Apple’s next act is less clear, with some suggesting AI demands a different skill set, one rooted in bold product vision rather than operational mastery.
For now, Cook remains firmly in charge, but the AI era is forcing even Apple to confront uncomfortable questions about what comes next.
