On Tuesday, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) CEO Tim Cook faced renewed criticism over the company's artificial intelligence strategy.

Investor Ross Gerber Calls For Tim Cook's Exit Over AI Strategy

Ross Gerber, co-founder of investment firm Gerber Kawasaki, took to X and criticized Apple's leadership. He argued that the tech giant has fallen behind in AI race.

"It’s time for Tim Apple to resign. He hasn’t done a thing really in years," Gerber wrote, adding that Apple "completely missed the AI boat" and now "needs Google to survive."

"No excuses. Tim Cook needs to go," he wrote.

The comments echo growing frustration among some investors who believe Apple has lagged rivals in generative AI innovation as competitors like Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:MSFT), Alphabet Inc.'s (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL) Google and Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) move aggressively.

Apple did not immediately respond to Benzinga’s request for comments.

Apple Turns To Google Gemini To Boost AI Capabilities

Apple earlier this month announced a multiyear partnership with Google to power upcoming AI features, including future versions of Siri.

Under the deal, Apple will rely on Google's Gemini models and cloud infrastructure to support its Apple Foundation Models.

At the time, Gene Munster, managing partner at Deepwater Asset Management, viewed the move positively. "Nice job, Tim Cook."

Munster also said Apple's shift away from OpenAI's ChatGPT toward Google Gemini signals a more serious effort to fix Apple Intelligence.

CEO Succession Talk Grows As Cook Nears Mid-60s

Cook, who has led Apple since August 2011, is now 65, fueling speculation about his eventual departure.

A 2025 report suggested Cook could step down as early as 2026, while Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has said Cook is likely to stay through at least mid-2026.

A January 2026 New York Times report identified Apple Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering John Ternus as a leading internal candidate.

Wall Street Remains Bullish Despite Criticism

Despite the leadership noise, optimism remains on Wall Street.

Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives has reiterated his bullish outlook on Apple, calling 2026 a key year and setting a $350 price target.

Price Action: Apple shares closed up 1.12% at $258.27 on Tuesday and edged higher in after-hours trading, rising 0.28% to $259, according to Benzinga Pro.

Apple shows a stronger long-term price trend but remains weak in the short and medium term, while also carrying a poor value ranking, according to Benzinga Edge Stock Rankings.

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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