THE APEX TIMES
Apple scores poorly on “future-readiness” metrics, as Siri AI overhaul leans on Google Gemini
A Wall Street Journal ranking compiled with Bendable Labs places Apple behind other megacap peers on AI preparedness and strategic disclosure, a score that arrives as Apple continues to rebuild Siri and has, according to reports, turned to Google’s Gemini model as a bridge.
Apple landed near the bottom in the Wall Street Journal’s inaugural “Best Companies for the Future” ranking of S&P 500 firms, according to a syndicated summary published Monday by 24/7 Wall St. The assessment, compiled with Bendable Labs for the Journal’s Leadership Institute, is designed to measure how well companies are positioned for an AI-driven future across several dimensions, including AI readiness and strategic transparency.
The ranking evaluates companies using 30 metrics grouped into six categories: AI readiness, innovation, talent readiness, financial fitness, supply-chain resilience, and corporate agility. InvestmentNews, covering the same WSJ effort, reported that Nvidia topped the overall list and dominated sub-scores tied to AI readiness, financial fitness, and agility, with a cluster of megacap firms in the top tier including Alphabet, Microsoft, and Meta.
In the 24/7 Wall St. write-up, Apple’s placement is attributed to two related criticisms: the article says Apple trails peers on AI advancement and also does not disclose major plans in a way the index favors. It characterizes Apple’s position as weak relative to megacap technology companies, while acknowledging that the company’s reputation for consumer hardware remains strong.
Apple has been rolling out generative AI features under the “Apple Intelligence” banner for its iPhone, iPad, and Mac. In a June 2024 press release, Apple said Apple Intelligence is integrated into iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia, and that it uses on-device capability alongside “Private Cloud Compute” for privacy-focused processing. In an October 2024 update, Apple said the first set of Apple Intelligence features included a more natural Siri, along with writing tools and notification and message summarization.
Still, the future-readiness question is partly about timing and execution. In March 2025, Reuters reported that Apple delayed AI improvements to Siri until 2026, without citing a reason. That delay matters because voice assistants are often used as a front line for consumer AI adoption, where rapid iteration can influence both user experience and developer expectations.
More recently, Reuters reported that Apple plans to use a 1.2-trillion-parameter AI model developed by Alphabet’s Google to help power a revamp of Siri. Reuters said the companies were finalizing a deal worth about $1 billion per year for access to Google’s technology, described as a stopgap until Apple’s own systems are ready. Reuters also noted that Google had no comment and Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The evidence also leaves several gaps that matter for how these rankings should be interpreted. The 24/7 Wall St. summary does not publish Apple’s specific category scores or fully explain what “strategic transparency” means in practice, and Apple has not publicly detailed the commercial terms of any reported Gemini arrangement in a way that can be independently verified from company statements. As a result, the strongest claim supported by the reporting is that Apple is being evaluated as behind peers on AI readiness and disclosure, not that Apple has definitively missed every AI milestone.
For investors and customers, the next checkpoint is straightforward but not immediate: whether Apple’s Siri rebuild in 2026 delivers the conversational capabilities Apple has promised, and whether Apple provides enough product and roadmap detail to avoid being penalized on “future-readiness” frameworks that reward measured, trackable progress. Separately, the broader WSJ ranking suggests the market may increasingly differentiate companies not only by how much they invest in AI, but also by how quickly they translate AI roadmaps into usable, externally observable products.
Why It Matters
- “Future-readiness” frameworks may increasingly penalize companies that are perceived as moving more slowly in visible AI features, not just investing less.
- If Siri performance and release timing remain uncertain, Apple’s consumer AI narrative could stay under pressure despite a strong installed base.
- Any reliance on third-party models, even as a stopgap, can shape expectations for how quickly Apple can regain parity with rivals’ assistants.
- Roadmap disclosure and strategic communication may become part of scoring in future third-party indices that claim to measure AI readiness.
Sources
- 24/7 Wall St. (syndicated)
- InvestmentNews coverage of WSJ/Bendable Labs ranking methodology and categories
- Benzinga explainer of WSJ “Best Companies for the Future” ranking results and methodology
- Reuters on Apple using Google Gemini for Siri (deal size, model parameters, stopgap framing)
- Apple Newsroom: “Introducing Apple Intelligence for iPhone, iPad, and Mac” (June 10, 2024 press release)
- Apple Newsroom: “Apple Intelligence is available today on iPhone, iPad, and Mac” (Oct. 28, 2024 press release)
- Image
Key Facts
- The WSJ “Best Companies for the Future” ranking of S&P 500 firms uses 30 metrics across six categories, including AI readiness and corporate agility.
- Nvidia was reported as the overall leader in the inaugural WSJ ranking, with several megacap peers finishing near the top in sub-scores.
- A 24/7 Wall St. summary says Apple ranked near the bottom of the list and scored poorly versus megacap peers on AI readiness and strategic transparency.
- Apple Intelligence was announced by Apple in June 2024 as a privacy-focused system integrated into iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia.
- Reuters reported in March 2025 that Apple delayed Siri AI improvements until 2026.
- Reuters reported in November 2025 that Apple planned to use Google’s 1.2-trillion-parameter Gemini model for a Siri revamp under a deal estimated at about $1 billion per year.
Technology Related
Adobe’s cash generation yields draw investor attention, but the numbers raise the same question: why so high?
A market commentary says Adobe generated free cash flow equal to 11.1% of its market value over the prior 12 months, a figure materially above a broad-market median. Whether that points to undervaluation or temporary conditions is less clear from the disclosure.
Jim Cramer tells viewers Starbucks can grow without expanding data-center exposure, Apple’s audience is ‘worth paying for,’ and Intel shareholders should stay patient
In remarks carried by Yahoo Finance, Jim Cramer argued that Starbucks’ valuation does not rely on building large computing infrastructure, Apple’s customer base has durable economics, and Intel investors may need to look beyond near-term uncertainty.
Dow posts best session in more than a month as hotter producer prices cool AI-spending hopes; Meta among names in focus
U.S. producer prices rose 6.3% in September, the fastest pace since 2022, adding to investor worries about overspending on artificial intelligence and stretching valuations. Equity trading showed a rotation away from AI-linked “growth at any price” expectations, with the Dow’s strongest day in over a month.
Meta rolls out new ad tools aimed at boosting campaign visibility across Facebook and Instagram
At a brand-building summit, the company announced a set of upgrades to how advertisers can structure campaigns, including a new “First Impressions” option and expanded Reels ad services.
Netflix faces renewed scrutiny as analysts question whether subscriber retention is weakening
A market report flagged concerns that rising churn and softer viewer engagement could make it harder for Netflix to keep subscribers, as competition in streaming intensifies.
Arista Networks emerges as the quiet “AI networking” alternative as data-center demand rises
A market focus on GPUs and big switch makers is leaving space for Arista Networks, whose shares have outperformed both Nvidia and Cisco this year, according to a recent market roundup.
Dow Jones futures slipped as Disney and Salesforce shares led a rebound; Tesla’s Roadster remained a market talking point
U.S. stock index futures pointed lower after a volatile session, while traders leaned into select consumer and software names, including Salesforce, and pulled some AI-related stocks off their lows.
iPhone Duo Preorders Set to Start Friday, Stirring Fresh Questions About Apple’s Next-Phase Hardware Push
A new report says Apple’s first foldable phone, dubbed iPhone Duo, is slated to enter preorders this week, renewing debate over whether a single device can move the stock, or whether investors should look at Apple’s broader platform strategy.
IonQ leans into a broader “quantum ecosystem” strategy, drawing comparisons to Nvidia’s platform playbook
A recent market analysis argues IonQ is trying to capture more of the quantum computing value chain, even after a sharp share-price pullback.
Palantir moves AI onboarding into commercial banking with Customers Bank deal
Palantir says it will deploy Foundry and AIP to help Customers Bank automate commercial client onboarding workflows, aiming to reduce manual steps and speed up how information is gathered and processed.
