The More Artificial Intelligence (AI) Models That Come Out, the More I'm Convinced Apple Has the Right Strategy

By David Jagielski, CPA – Apr 13, 2026 at 2:00PM ESTKey PointsApple is only projecting to spend $14 billion on capex in 2026, which pales in comparison to other tech giants.The cost of developing AI features and capabilities could come down drastically in the future.A big criticism of Apple (AAPL 0.80%) has been that its artificial intelligence (AI) rollout has been slow. Investors are concerned that it's falling behind its rivals, it's not innovating enough, and that its sluggish AI strategy could hurt the stock. But the market is being increasingly flooded with new AI models, with the most recent one coming from social media giant Meta Platforms. It can be challenging for consumers to even know the differences between all of them and which one is truly the best. While Apple may appear to be slow in launching AI features for its iPhones, its approach to AI may prove to be the best one in the end. Image source: Getty Images. Apple is spending just $14 billion on capex this year In the AI arms race, there's one tech company that's standing apart from the pack, and that's Apple. It's only planning to spend around $14 billion on capital expenditures this year, while other tech giants ramp up significantly. Meta, for instance, projects it might spend up to $135 billion as it invests heavily in AI. Taking a more conservative approach may not necessarily be a bad one for the company. Investors only need to look back to the DeepSeek AI controversy that emerged last year to see how quickly a company may be able to develop an advanced AI model through distillation. While that might not be a recipe for catching up to the competition, it may allow a company to get very close. But even if it's not an AI model Apple wants to develop, overall AI-related costs may come down as efficiencies improve in the tech sector. By not spending aggressively, Apple can more carefully pick its spots for investment and, as opportunities arise in the future, make a big move when and where it makes sense to do so. ExpandNASDAQ: AAPLAppleToday's Change(-0.80%) $-2.09Current Price$258.39Key Data PointsMarket Cap$3.8TDay's Range$256.66 - $260.1852wk Range$189.81 - $288.62Volume957KAvg Vol47MGross Margin47.33%Dividend Yield0.40% Why Apple may still be a top stock to own for years to come It may take Apple longer to roll out cutting-edge AI features across its products and services than rivals, but the company has shown it's in no rush to do so. And realistically, it doesn't need to, either. It has a vast ecosystem of products and services, making it difficult for someone to leave simply because Siri hasn't received an update in a while. The company can be more selective about the capabilities it wants to invest in and offer to its customers, while also prioritizing safety and privacy. Apple's growth strategy may not be an aggressive one, but it has been working for the business when looking at the longer term, and I believe it'll continue to play out that way for the company. As long as you're willing to just buy and hold, Apple can be a great stock to own, even if it's not rushing out to invest heavily in AI.Read NextApr 13, 2026 •By Keithen Drury3 AI Stocks That Are Way Cheaper Than Apple Right NowApr 12, 2026 •By Parkev Tatevosian, CFAMassive News for Apple Stock InvestorsApr 12, 2026 •By John BromelsThe Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stock Market Is Sending Mixed Signals Right Now. Here's How I'm Reading Them.Apr 12, 2026 •By Geoffrey SeilerIs a Foldable iPhone a Reason to Buy Apple's Stock?Apr 10, 2026 •By Matt DiLalloBest ETFs for Long-Term GrowthApr 8, 2026 •By Geoffrey Seiler3 Growth Stocks to Hold for the Next 20 YearsAbout the AuthorDavid Jagielski, CPA, has been a contributing Motley Fool stock market analyst covering healthcare, consumer staples, consumer discretionary, and technology stocks since 2017. David has more than 10 years of experience in finance roles across businesses of different sizes and sectors. He holds a Certified Public Accountant designation in Canada.TMFdjagielskiStocks MentionedAppleNASDAQ: AAPL$258.39(-0.80%)-$2.09Meta PlatformsNASDAQ: META$632.35(+0.40%)+$2.49*Average returns of all recommendations since inception. Cost basis and return based on previous market day close.