Apple’s $5T AI Bet: Why a $1B Rent Costs 1% of Rivals’ $700B Capex
Apple’s market cap briefly hit $5 trillion as its asset-light AI strategy—licensing Google Gemini for just $1B/year—contrasts sharply with the $700B combined AI capex of peers. With $34B in quarterly operating cash flow and a new hardware leasing program, Apple is prioritizing shareholder returns over infrastructure spending.