Report: Apple looking into buying chip startups to strengthen its AI infrastructure

Apple has been in talks with bankers and semiconductor startups about potential acquisitions to strengthen its AI server capabilities, according to a report from The Information. The company's internal AI server chip, codenamed Baltra, has slipped past its planned 2026 debut, and Apple is currently using M2 Ultra-based systems and Nvidia GPUs in Google Cloud for AI processing. The move signals a potential shift in Apple's acquisition strategy as it seeks to boost its AI infrastructure.

The Information reports that Apple has been in talks with bankers and semiconductor startups as it explores acquisitions to strengthen its AI server capabilities. Here are the details. Apple considers AI chip company acquisitions According to The Information , Apple has been exploring potential acquisitions of semiconductor startups to “boost its efforts to build server chips for running AI.” From the report: In recent months, the iPhone maker has talked with bankers about possible deals. It has also approached semiconductor startups to gauge their interest in selling themselves, the people said. Apple’s hunt for chip acquisitions comes as the company struggles with the performance of its own internal AI servers, which currently run on internally designed M2 Ultra chips. The Information says Apple’s next-generation server chip, code-named Baltra, has slipped past its planned 2026 debut. In the meantime, Apple is using M2 Ultra-based systems for some of its own AI processing, while the more demanding tasks are handled by the Gemini-based model powering the new Siri, which runs on Nvidia GPUs https://9to5mac.com/2026/05/28/new-details-on-apple-google-ai-deal-revealed-including-nvidia-chips-report/ in Google Cloud. A big acquisition would be a departure from Apple’s usual M.O. of buying smaller startups from time to time, but it wouldn’t be unprecedented. Apple paid $3 billion https://9to5mac.com/2014/05/28/apple-confirms-beats-purchase-for-3-billion/ for Beats in 2014 and $1 billion https://9to5mac.com/2019/07/25/apple-confirms-1-billion-acquisition-of-intels-smartphone-modem-business/ for most of Intel’s smartphone modem business in 2019. Just a few months ago, it also acquired Israeli AI startup Q.ai https://9to5mac.com/2026/01/29/apple-acquires-secretive-q%E2%80%A4ai-startup-for-2-billion/ for a reported sum of nearly $2 billion. Additionally, The Information recently reported that Apple had held talks with PrismML https://9to5mac.com/2026/07/09/report-apple-interested-in-startup-that-runs-giant-ai-models-on-iphone-without-servers/ , whose technology can shrink large AI models to run directly on iPhones, although no potential deal or valuation was reported. All of this comes against the backdrop of a leadership transition https://9to5mac.com/2026/04/20/apple-ceo-tim-cook-stepping-down-john-ternus-confirmed-as-new-apple-ceo/ and signs that Apple may be rethinking its broader acquisition strategy. The company’s CFO, Kevan Parekh, recently said Apple would no longer treat achieving a net cash-neutral position as a formal goal, a shift many saw as a way to give Apple more flexibility to pursue larger acquisitions. To read The Information ’s full report, follow this link https://www.theinformation.com/articles/apple-hunts-ai-chip-acquisitions . Worth checking out on Amazon Geoffrey Cain – ‘Steve Jobs in Exile’ https://amzn.to/4v3CS5Q David Pogue – ’Apple: The First 50 Years’ https://amzn.to/46Y3nQj MacBook Neo https://amzn.to/47vJmkn Logitech MX Master 4 https://amzn.to/3KmIQN7 AirPods Pro 3 https://www.amazon.com/Apple-Cancellation-Translation-Headphones-High-Fidelity/dp/B0FQFB8FMG?tag=marcmendes-20 AirTag 2nd Generation – 4 Pack https://amzn.to/4sewc3a Apple Watch Series 11 https://amzn.to/46VomDB Wireless CarPlay adapter https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0F6T6N2B1?tag=marcmendes-20 FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More. https://9to5mac.com/about/ affiliate our homepage http://9to5mac.com/ for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on exclusive stories https://9to5mac.com/feature/exclusive/ , reviews https://9to5mac.com/guides/review/ , how-tos https://9to5mac.com/guides/how-to/ , and subscribe to our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/9to5mac