In this episode of In The Loop, I unpack what feels like a turning point for Apple—and not in a good way. From a lackluster WWDC 2025 filled with buzzwords instead of breakthroughs, to a baffling research paper, The Illusion Of Thinking, that downplays the entire AI industry, Apple seems more confused than ever about its future.

And then comes the gut punch: Jony Ive, the design visionary behind nearly every iconic Apple product, has joined forces with OpenAI to shape the next era of AI hardware. It’s a move that says more about Apple’s current state than any press release or gimmicky marketing campaign ever could.

I’ll break down the three major signals that Apple may be spiraling.

⏩ Episode Highlights

(00:50) - Apple WWDC 2025 keynote letdown: Liquid Glass instead of Siri innovation

(02:50) - Reason 1: Siri’s downward spiral and Apple’s decade-long AI fumble

(07:05) - Reason 2: The controversial Apple research paper on AI reasoning (The Illusion of Thinking)

(11:10) - Reason 3: Jony Ive joins OpenAI to design the next generation of AI devices

(13:50) - The big takeaway: Apple’s lost identity and the cost of playing it safe

🔗Links & Resources:

🎧 EP9 - Apple’s AI Crisis Exposed: Is It Having A Nokia Moment?

🍎 Apple’s The Illusion of Thinking: Understanding the Strengths and Limitations of Reasoning Models via the Lens of Problem Complexity

📖 Read the written version of this episode on the Mindset AI blog (with all relevant links and resources). Read here.

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