Apple CEO dismisses AI agents replacing traditional apps

Ternus emphasized that product development will remain a human endeavor. “I think that could make our lives a lot easier, but creating products is something deeply human and personal,” he told Wired.

The engineer, born in California in May 1975, ascended to the CEO position at age 51, following a 25-year career at Apple focused on hardware engineering. His appointment occurred in early September 2026, succeeding Tim Cook.

Ternus made his first public appearance as CEO during the Apple Keynote 2026, where he presented the iPhone Duo and the iPhone 18 Pro. He subsequently participated in an event dedicated to the launch of the new MacBook Pro with tactile technology and iPad Mini.

His arrival as CEO coincides with a period of significant change. While the company maintains a strong financial position, it must respond to increasingly intense competition in areas such as generative artificial intelligence.

Apple acknowledges utilizing AI technology in the development of components for its new devices, such as the hinge of the iPhone Duo. For Ternus, the key consideration is whether the final product satisfies users: “Have we created something that they really love?”

Apple’s priority remains focused on hardware and user experience, even after the company lagged in the AI competition for the past two years. The company delayed the update of Siri, its voice assistant, until this summer.

“Everyone has their opinion. I really like where we are,” Ternus stated, according to Wired. He affirmed that Apple will use AI, but not as a built-in resource without a specific purpose.

Ternus said the goal is to create products that improve users’ lives. “We don’t want to implement AI just for the sake of doing it,” he noted, adding that if the technology is integrated correctly, people shouldn’t need to consider whether a function was performed by AI or traditional software.

Ternus graduated as a mechanical engineer from the University of Pennsylvania in 1997, combining his studies with competitive swimming. His final university project involved designing a mechanical arm for individuals with quadriplegia, foreshadowing his interest in applying engineering to practical and accessibility-related needs. Prior to joining Apple, he worked at Virtual Research Systems, where he participated in the design of virtual reality visors. He joined the company in 2001 as part of the product design group in Cupertino.

One of his early roles involved work on the Apple Cinema Display. He subsequently advanced within the company’s structure, assuming responsibility for some of the core business devices. In 2013, he was appointed Vice President of Hardware Engineering, overseeing the development of Macs and iPads and contributing to the creation of lines such as AirPods. Between 2020 and 2022, he incorporated the direction of iPhone hardware and, subsequently, responsibilities related to the Apple Watch. In 2021, he assumed the role of Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering. A pivotal technical achievement in his career was the transition of Mac computers from Intel processors to Apple’s own M-series chips, known as Apple Silicon, allowing Apple to control a portion of its computer development and integrate hardware and software within a single ecosystem.