# Apple can monetize AI without building its own model

Markdown copy of https://realalpha.app/s/apple-can-monetize-ai-without-building-its-own-model/ on Real Alpha, the best minutes from long interviews with the people building AI. Cite and link the page, not this copy.

- Speaker: [Dan Ives](https://realalpha.app/people/dan-ives/) · Partner & senior managing director, tech analyst, Yorkville Ives · Built a globally recognized technology research franchise, covering software and broader technology markets for over 25 years.
- Host: [Steve Eisman](https://realalpha.app/people/steve-eisman/)
- Show: The Real Eisman Playbook
- Episode: [The AI Revolution: Who Wins, Who Loses & the SaaSpocalypse | The Real Eisman Playbook Ep 70](https://realalpha.app/v/SWEzkOMe4tY/), Jul 27, 2026
- Moment: 24:01 to 26:30 of the episode (2 min), playing on https://realalpha.app/s/apple-can-monetize-ai-without-building-its-own-model/; the episode from there: https://realalpha.app/v/SWEzkOMe4tY/?t=1441

## Quote

> “The reality is like **20% of the world** is going to access AI through an Apple device.”
> — [Dan Ives](https://realalpha.app/people/dan-ives/) at [24:46](https://realalpha.app/v/SWEzkOMe4tY/?t=1486) · The Real Eisman Playbook

## Takeaways

1. Dan estimates 20% of the world will access AI on Apple devices.
2. Apple can use leading third-party models rather than build its own.
3. Dan cites 2.5 billion iOS devices as a distribution base.

## About this segment

Dan Ives and Gil argue Apple's device base makes it a consumer AI gateway despite its late start. Apple can use whichever model leads and monetize through its devices and Siri.

From “The AI Revolution: Who Wins, Who Loses & the SaaSpocalypse | The Real Eisman Playbook Ep 70”, Jul 27, 2026. [Watch the full episode](https://realalpha.app/v/SWEzkOMe4tY/)

## Transcript

Transcribed by machine (Whisper) from the episode’s audio, so a word may be off here and there.

[24:13](https://realalpha.app/v/SWEzkOMe4tY/?t=1453) So let's talk about a company that is a little on the outside looking in, at least in my view, and I own it, Apple. In Apple's defense, Apple is not playing in the we're going to spend a trillion dollars. They're not going to spend anything. So in that sense, their balance sheet is better than anybody else's. Their cash flow is better than anybody else's. On the other hand, it's kind of hard to figure out exactly where they are in this whole ecosystem.

[24:43](https://realalpha.app/v/SWEzkOMe4tY/?t=1483) But I view them like E-ZPass, total side note, I still don't. It's a fascinating people that don't have E-ZPass, but this is a total separate cut. We could do a separate pot on it. Not everybody lives in New York. I have E-ZPass. Yeah, but Apple is the E-ZPass on the consumer AI highway. The reality is like 20% of the world is going to access AI through an Apple device. Did they stumble out of the gates many times, over-promising, under-delivering?

[25:09](https://realalpha.app/v/SWEzkOMe4tY/?t=1509) But now you actually have an AI strategy that you can monetize, the 2.5 billion iOS devices, 1.5 billion iPhones. And I just think for Apple, I think part of why the stock's doing what it's doing is investors are finally starting to understand you could be late to the game if you're Apple, but if you monetize the consumer ecosystem... With Apple, you don't have to worry as much. We talked about the rate of change and the news flow and who's winning in AI and who's not winning in AI. Apple's standing back and saying, we'll let you all worry about that. You guys fight it out.

[25:47](https://realalpha.app/v/SWEzkOMe4tY/?t=1547) You guys fight it out. We'll be here and whoever wins will use it. in our models. That's what new Siri is. New Siri is we're going to call AI new Siri. We're not going to have our own model. We'll use whatever the best model is. So you, the consumer gets a great experience, but you're not going to call it an OpenAI model. You're not going to call it an anthropic model. You're going to call it new Siri. And so we win anyway. So you guys fight it out. You spend the money. You deal with the news flow. We're going to take the high ground and we're going to do well either way. Okay. Switch gears again. Let's talk about Oracle,