Apple's AI Strategy Needs Revamp: 3 Steps to Prove Serious AI Player

Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives outlined three steps for Apple to prove its serious AI player status, including acquiring Perplexity AI, hiring innovative talent, and doubling down on the Gemini partnership. Ives maintained his "Buy" rating on AAPL stock with a $270 price target, implying 17.7% upside potential from current levels. He believes Apple's AI strategy is "invisible" compared to Microsoft and Alphabet, but that the company can change this by taking bold actions over the coming months.

Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives has outlined a strategic roadmap for Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) to bolster its artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities and avoid falling behind in the rapidly evolving tech landscape. Ives, who maintains an "Outperform" rating on Apple stock with a $270 price target, believes the company needs to take bold actions to prove its serious AI player status. This includes acquiring Perplexity AI, hiring innovative talent, and doubling down on the Gemini partnership.

Ives warns that Apple risks a "BlackBerry moment" if it fails to act swiftly. He suggests that Apple should quickly purchase Perplexity, an AI-based search engine, to significantly enhance Siri's capabilities and reposition the company in the AI space [1]. Additionally, Apple needs to recruit external AI experts to stimulate innovation within the company, addressing what Ives perceives as a recent lack of innovation in Apple's AI efforts [1].

Furthermore, Ives recommends that Apple collaborate with Google Gemini instead of pursuing a partnership with OpenAI. He believes this partnership could lead to deep integration of advanced AI features in Apple products, despite potential regulatory challenges [2].

Despite these concerns, Ives maintains his "Buy" rating on AAPL stock with a $270 price target, implying a 17.7% upside potential from current levels. He believes Apple's AI strategy is "invisible" compared to Microsoft and Alphabet, but that the company can change this by taking bold actions over the coming months.

References:
[1] https://seekingalpha.com/news/4482437-perplexity-talent-and-gemini-key-to-apples-ai-strategy-wedbush
[2] https://theoutpost.ai/news-story/apple-s-ai-dilemma-wedbush-analyst-warns-of-black-berry-moment-without-bold-moves-18898/