Apple CEO John Ternus has made his priorities clear in a new interview, saying his biggest passion remains building great products as the company continues introducing new hardware and expanding its work in artificial intelligence. His comments come shortly after Apple unveiled the MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR, adding to a growing list of product launches since he took over as CEO.
In an interview with WIRED’s Steven Levy, Ternus discussed his expanded responsibilities, Apple’s approach to AI, and the importance of keeping product development at the center of the company’s decisions.
When asked about managing Apple’s much larger portfolio, Ternus explained that his new position gives him opportunities to understand different parts of the business while continuing to focus on what he enjoys most.
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“One of the amazing privileges of this job is getting to learn so many new things. I have been and will continue to learn and go deeper into different areas. But, you know, I do love product. I’m super passionate about it.”
Ternus Wants Apple to Keep Products at the Center of AI
Ternus also connected this philosophy to Apple’s artificial intelligence strategy, emphasizing how the company plans to use AI to improve the products people already use.
“I would hope people recognize that the work we do is building incredible products that make their lives better. We’re absolutely going to leverage AI to do that.”
Meanwhile, when discussing the possibility of AI agents handling more computing tasks independently, Ternus described product creation as a “deeply human and personal thing,” suggesting that human involvement will remain central to Apple’s development process.
Other senior Apple executives also expressed confidence in his product-focused leadership.
Apple’s hardware chief Johny Srouji described Ternus as “a product guy at heart,” while marketing chief Greg Joswiak praised his natural understanding of what makes a great product.
With Apple continuing to expand its hardware lineup and AI capabilities, Ternus appears determined to maintain the company’s longstanding emphasis on product design, usability, and the overall customer experience.
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