Apple appears to be exploring a paid path for customers who want higher Apple Intelligence usage limits. Speaking during the company’s earnings call on Thursday, CEO Tim Cook suggested that demand for Apple’s AI tools — including the next-generation Siri AI experience — could be significant, saying he expects people will use them “a lot.” He added that Apple plans to offer “some kind of upgrade possibilities on iCloud Plus” that would let users “buy up the stack.”
The comments come as Apple prepares for the wider rollout of its long-awaited Siri AI upgrade this fall with iOS 27. The revamped assistant is expected to handle more advanced tasks, including answering questions based on what’s visible on a user’s screen and carrying out actions across apps. Apple is also introducing a separate Siri AI app with a conversational, ChatGPT-style interface.
Apple previously said in June that certain Apple Intelligence features, such as AI image generation, would come with daily caps because they depend on powerful cloud-based server models. At the time, the company noted that expanded access would be included with most iCloud Plus plans. Cook’s latest remarks suggest Apple could go a step further by creating additional tiers for customers who expect to use its AI features more heavily.
The potential AI upsell would fit neatly inside Apple’s booming services business, which includes subscriptions such as iCloud Plus, Apple TV, and Apple One. Apple said that division generated $30.74 billion in revenue over the past few months.
