‘We don’t feel threatened’: Apple’s Greg Joswiak responds to OpenAI’s hardware ambitions

While tech giants race to make artificial intelligence (AI) more capable and autonomous, Apple is focusing on it as a practical tool for ordinary users. In an interview with TIME, Apple's marketing chief Greg Joswiak said Apple Intelligence is built for “everyday people,” not the “lunatic fringe,” a term for hardcore AI enthusiasts like OpenAI who pursue technology’s most ambitious possibilities, including superintelligence.

He further added that Apple’s AI ambitions are people-centric and not for “die-hard AI believers chasing superintelligence.” “We love them, and they can use it too, but that's not our target,” said Joswiak. “It's how to make it better for everyday people.”

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When asked about the competition and OpenAI’s hardware plans, Joswiak stated that Apple does not feel threatened in terms of competition. “The fact that we can do the integration that we can means we can create just a better experience than anybody else,” he said. He stated that Apple products have a broader appeal than products built specifically for AI enthusiasts.

Despite the claims, Apple trails behind in the AI race, and it may come as a major threat. Its competitors, including Google, Samsung, and other Chinese counterparts, are heavily integrating AI across devices, while Apple is betting on practical, privacy-focused features designed for everyday users rather than competing directly to build the most advanced AI models.

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TIMES Andrew Chow said if superintelligent AI dramatically changes industries and society in the coming years, Apple could risk losing its competitive edge if its AI technology cannot keep up. However, there is growing public resistance or scepticism towards AI, including concerns about its effects on jobs, privacy and society.

Apple’s people-focused approach showcases a broader divergence in the industry as tech companies chase what the US calls “Super Intelligence.”