At an all-hands meeting held on Tuesday, incoming Apple CEO John Ternus stood in front of employees at the Steve Jobs Theater and told them, flat out, that this is the most exciting stretch of his entire career at the company.
“I’m not exaggerating when I say this is the most exciting time to be building products and services at Apple in my entire career,” Ternus said, according to a report.
That’s a bold thing to say at your first real moment in the spotlight as the guy about to take the wheel at one of the most valuable companies on earth. But Ternus didn’t stop there.
AI Is Front and Center for Ternus
A big chunk of Ternus’s message centered on artificial intelligence, and he was notably enthusiastic about it.
“AI is going to create almost unlimited potential,” he told employees. “We’re going to be able to keep unlocking possibilities that are going to create entirely new opportunities for our products and services, and I’m so excited about what that’s going to mean for our users.”
He wrapped that thought with a line that felt very much like a mission statement in the making: “We are about to change the world once again.”
No specifics came with any of it, which is pretty standard for an internal meeting of this nature. But the tone Ternus wanted to convey was that he sees Apple’s AI push as a defining chapter for the company rather than a feature update cycle.
He Also Made Promises on Design and Privacy
Beyond the AI talk, Ternus made a point of telling employees that design remains “core” to what Apple does.
He also pledged that the company’s longstanding commitments to user privacy and environmental responsibility won’t change under his watch.
Privacy, in particular, has been a major differentiator for the brand, and hearing Ternus reinforce it early on signals that he’s not looking to upend that identity.
What About Tim Cook?
Cook was actually there at the Steve Jobs Theater alongside Ternus, and he had a few things to say, too.
He told employees he is “healthy” and plans to stick around as Apple’s executive chairman for “a long time.”
Apple confirmed that Cook will continue to help the company in specific areas, particularly in engaging with policymakers around the globe.
So Cook isn’t disappearing entirely. His shift into the chairman role just means Ternus takes the CEO title officially on September 1, which is now just a few months away.
With Tim Cook staying involved as chairman, do you expect real change under Ternus or more of the same strategy?
