OpenAI has become what former Apple CEO John Sculley calls Apple’s “first real competitor” in decades. Speaking at the Zeta Live conference, Sculley said Apple hasn’t excelled in artificial intelligence and that OpenAI is now setting the pace.
Sculley led Apple from 1983 to 1993, and during his talk he argued the tech giant needs to shift from the “apps era” to what he calls the “agentic era” where smart AI agents act for us without needing lots of separate apps.
According to Sculley, Apple has lagged behind other tech firms like OpenAI, Google, Meta, and Amazon when it comes to frequent product updates and AI-focused innovation. He pointed to delays at Apple — such as a revamp of Siri — as signs the company hasn’t kept up.
He also suggested that whoever replaces Apple’s current CEO, Tim Cook, should be someone who can help steer Apple into this AI-first world. The next leader, in his view, must guide Apple through a transition where AI agents, not apps, drive user experience.
Sculley used the shift in business models as another example. He claimed software built around apps sells tools, while a move to AI agents will push the industry toward subscription-based models — getting paid as long as users depend on the AI.
Interestingly, Apple’s design legend Jony Ive has already made a move: OpenAI acquired his device startup earlier this year. Some hope that Ive’s design expertise could help bring hardware and AI closer together.
As AI becomes more central in tech, Sculley’s remarks reflect a growing belief: Apple’s dominance could be challenged — not by a smartphone maker or a new gadget company — but by an AI-first powerhouse.
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