Tesla bull Ross Gerber has an important message for the incoming Apple CEO John Ternus. In a recent message to Ternus, Gerber stated that Apple 'needs' Google to stay competitive in the AI era. Speaking to Benzinga, Gerber argued that Apple's strength in hardware and ecosystem could erode without a robust AI strategy. 'They need to do a deal with Google,' he said, highlighting Alphabet's leadership in AI through its Gemini platform. Gerber suggested Apple could integrate Gemini instead of relying solely on Apple Intelligence, and even connect Waymo's self-driving vehicles to the Apple ecosystem.
Ross Gerber Believes Apple Excels in Hardware
Gerber also noted that while Apple excels in hardware, Google has struggled in that segment outside of Waymo. He believes a partnership between the two would combine Apple's hardware dominance with Google's AI software expertise. 'It's a perfect matchup if they combine their forces to build killer software and hardware products,' Gerber added.
Ross Gerber Also Shared a Product Wishlist for Ternus
Beyond partnerships, Gerber urged Ternus to focus on new product categories such as:
- Smart glasses: Gerber called Apple Vision Pro a 'failure' and said glasses are the natural next step, allowing users to move beyond smartphones.
- Health tracker: He suggested a watch-like device without a face, warning Apple is losing market share to rivals like Whoop.
Gerber believes these innovations could help Apple reclaim leadership in consumer tech. 'The AI product killer is having glasses that you don't need to walk around looking at a phone anymore,' he said.
Apple's Next CEO John Ternus Tells Employees What Apple Won't Do with AI
John Ternus did not waste time. Days after being announced as Tim Cook's successor, Apple's CEO-in-waiting walked into a town hall and told employees exactly how he thinks about AI—and more importantly, what Apple will not do with it. 'We don't ship technology for technology's sake,' Ternus said, according to Bloomberg. It was the clearest signal yet of how he plans to differentiate Apple in an AI race where most competitors have been moving fast and breaking things. Ternus officially takes over on September 1, but he is already setting the tone.
It was a pointed contrast, even if he did not name names. Google has spent years baking AI into Android at every level. Microsoft went even further, embedding it into Windows' most basic tools—Notepad, Snipping Tool, the taskbar—and paid for it with a user revolt. Ternus seems to know both stories well.
His AI philosophy, as he laid it out, has two parts. First, using AI internally to make Apple better at building—tapping into decades of engineering data to solve harder problems. Second, making sure whatever reaches customers actually feels like an Apple product: considered, useful, and not just impressive in a demo.
