Is It Time to Replace Tim Cook? Apple’s AI Failures Spark Leadership Debate

Prior to Tim Cook assuming the role of Apple CEO, the company was helmed by the very charismatic Steve Jobs. Cook doesn’t really enjoy the spotlight as much as Cook, but it is clear that he has done an excellent job managing the company. Under Cook’s leadership, Apple’s shares have soared more than 1,400%. However, the analysts at LightShed Partners believe that the Apple CEO needs to be replaced.

Does Apple CEO need to be replaced?

According to analysts Walter Piecyk and Joe Galone, they believe that Cook is not steering the company in the right direction. In their note, they claim that Apple needs a “product-focused CEO, not one centered on logistics.” They also point out Apple’s misstep when it came to AI, citing it as one of the reasons they believe Apple needs its CEO replaced.

“Missing on AI could fundamentally alter the company’s long-term trajectory and ability to grow at all. AI will reshape industries across the global economy, and Apple risks becoming one of its casualties.”

It is true that Apple dropped the ball with Apple Intelligence. Compared to other AI models like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and even Galaxy AI, Apple Intelligence feels massively outdated and ancient. Plus, Apple’s shares have lagged behind its competitors in 2025, dropping by 16%. This is compared to other tech giants in the US like Meta and Microsoft. Both companies saw a rise in share price of 25% and 19% respectively.

However, we believe that this is only a short-term view. Yes, the disastrous launch of Apple Intelligence was one of the company’s biggest flops in 2025. However, the iPhone 16e appears to be doing quite well. Plus, some analysts believe that Apple still has a few years to correct course on AI.

If not Tim Cook, then who?

According to a recent report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman in his Power On newsletter, Apple’s CEO Tim Cook isn’t going away anytime soon. The report suggests that internally, there are no signs that Cook is planning to step down or is grooming a successor.

It was previously assumed that Apple’s COO Jeff Williams would replace Cook as CEO. However, Williams recently announced his retirement. One of his roles was overseeing the design team, but they will now report directly to Cook.

A recent Cult of Mac report suggests that a dark horse and potential candidate is John Ternus, Apple’s chief of hardware engineering.