Apple increased its annual research and development (R&D) spending by more than $11 billion in fiscal 2026, bringing its total investment to a record $45.77 billion. The figure represents a 32% increase from $34.55 billion in 2025, highlighting Apple’s growing spending on artificial intelligence, infrastructure, and future products.
According to Apple’s latest annual filing with the SEC, the company spent approximately $125 million every day on research and development during the fiscal year ending September 26, 2026.
Apple’s R&D Spending Grows Faster Than Revenue
Apple’s research spending increased considerably faster than its overall business, with annual revenue growing 15% to $478.83 billion while R&D expenses climbed 32%.
Don’t miss the best of The Mac Observer
Set us as a preferred source and our Apple reporting ranks higher in your Google Search results and Discover feed — one tap, no account changes.
The company now spends approximately 10% of its revenue on research and development, compared with 8% in fiscal 2025.
| Fiscal Year | R&D Spending |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $31.37 billion |
| 2025 | $34.55 billion |
| 2026 | $45.77 billion |
Interestingly, Apple’s quarterly spending appears to have stabilized after increasing earlier in the year. The company reported $11.730 billion in R&D expenses during its September quarter, almost identical to the $11.729 billion recorded in the preceding quarter.
AI and Infrastructure Drive Higher Investment
Apple attributed the spending increase primarily to higher infrastructure costs, including artificial intelligence investments, alongside expenses related to its growing workforce.
During an earlier earnings call, CFO Kevan Parekh explained that AI investments would add to the company’s existing product development budget.
These investments come as Apple continues expanding Apple Intelligence and its next-generation Siri capabilities, including on-device processing and more advanced cloud-based AI features.
Apple has also been developing its Private Cloud Compute infrastructure to support complex AI requests while maintaining its privacy requirements.
Although Apple has not disclosed exactly how much of its R&D budget goes toward AI, its latest financial figures show that the company has substantially increased its investment in engineering, infrastructure, and future technologies.
Discussion