Apple may be one of the few companies that truly benefits from AI technology, as revenue from in-app purchase commissions through the App Store is expected to exceed $1 billion in 2026. Apple Intelligence pay Apple up to $1 billion in App Store fees.
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It's still a misconception that Apple is behind in artificial intelligence, but it's certainly true that the Siri service, backed by Apple Intelligence, has not yet been implemented. However, while it doesn't have its own AI chatbot, Apple benefits significantly from the rest.
According to the Wall Street Journal, in January 2025, Apple received $35 million in App Store fees from generative artificial intelligence applications. By August 2025, this amount had risen to $101 million, with estimated revenues of $900 million for the year. Apple may not yet have developed a powerful AI system like its competitors, but its strategy of allowing the development and distribution of AI applications through the App Store proves to be extremely profitable.
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AI applications available on the App Store cover a wide range of needs, from content creation to personal assistants and data analysis. These applications, developed by third parties, pay Apple commissions for each in‑app purchase, which significantly increases the company's revenue.
Apple's strategy to focus on supporting and promoting third-party AI applications through its App Store, instead of investing in its own solution, allows it to benefit from the growing demand for AI technologies without taking on the risk of developing a new product.
Meanwhile, Apple continues to invest in the development of Siri and other AI technologies, aiming to provide a more comprehensive experience for its users in the future.
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The success of Apple in the AI applications sector shows that the company understands market trends and is able to adapt quickly to new technologies, thereby securing its leading position in the technology industry. Its strategy of investing in infrastructure and platforms that enable third-party development of innovative applications proves especially successful, as it allows Apple to benefit from new trends without having to develop every new technology itself.
