Apple has entered a new leadership phase with John Ternus taking over as chief executive officer on September 1, 2026, succeeding Tim Cook after his nearly 15-year tenure at the helm of the technology giant. Cook has moved to the role of executive chairman of Apple's board. The transition was announced by Apple in April and approved unanimously by its board as part of a long-term succession plan. 

The change comes at a critical point for Apple as artificial intelligence becomes increasingly central to the technology industry. Ternus, who previously served as Apple's senior vice president of Hardware Engineering, now takes responsibility for steering the company through growing competition in AI while maintaining its position across smartphones, computers, services and other consumer products.

From hardware engineering to Apple's top job

Ternus joined Apple in 2001 and has spent more than two decades working across the company's hardware operations. He became vice president of Hardware Engineering in 2013 and later took charge of the company's hardware engineering organisation at the senior executive level.

His work has included Apple's transition to its own silicon architecture and the development of products across the Mac, iPad and iPhone lines. Apple announced in 2021 that Ternus would lead its Hardware Engineering organisation. 

His appointment therefore marks a shift in leadership profile. While Cook became closely associated with Apple's operations, supply chain and expansion of its services business, Ternus comes to the CEO position with a strong engineering and product-development background.

AI becomes a major test for the new CEO

The leadership change comes as Apple faces intense competition in artificial intelligence from companies including Google, Microsoft, OpenAI and Meta.

Apple's approach to AI has focused heavily on integrating intelligence into its devices and operating systems while maintaining its emphasis on privacy. The company has also developed Private Cloud Compute for AI workloads that cannot be handled directly on a device.

The challenge for Ternus will be turning these technological capabilities into products that consumers use regularly. Apple's AI efforts, particularly around Siri and Apple Intelligence, have faced pressure as rival companies have moved rapidly with generative AI assistants and other AI-powered services.

Analysts and technology observers are therefore likely to judge Ternus not only on new hardware but also on how quickly Apple can translate its AI strategy into useful consumer experiences. 

Strong financial position gives Ternus room to act

Ternus inherits a company that remains financially powerful. Apple reported $109.4 billion in revenue for its fiscal third quarter of 2026, an increase of 16 per cent from the same quarter a year earlier. Diluted earnings per share stood at $2.02, up 29 per cent year over year. 

That financial strength gives the new CEO considerable flexibility as Apple invests in AI infrastructure, custom chips, software development and future products.

At the same time, maintaining growth will require Apple to balance investment in emerging technologies with the profitability of its existing iPhone and Services businesses.

Hardware could remain central to Apple's AI strategy

Ternus's engineering background could prove particularly relevant as Apple attempts to bring more AI processing directly onto consumer devices.

Apple's custom silicon provides the company with control over the processors used in its major product lines. That gives it an opportunity to design hardware and software together rather than relying entirely on external computing infrastructure.

The broader strategy could allow Apple to differentiate its AI offerings around privacy, device integration and power efficiency instead of competing solely on the size of cloud-based AI models.

September 9 event will be an early test

Ternus will also face an immediate public test as Apple prepares for its September product cycle. His first major period as CEO comes just days before the company's expected September 9 event, putting the new leadership team under intense attention.

The event will provide an early indication of how Apple intends to connect its hardware roadmap with its broader AI strategy.

For Ternus, the challenge is larger than simply succeeding Tim Cook. He must determine how Apple's established ecosystem can adapt to a technology industry increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence while preserving the product integration and privacy positioning that have long differentiated the company.

With the transition now effective, the Ternus era at Apple has officially begun.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has laid out an ambitious vision for the future of artificial intelligence, arguing that advanced AI could give individuals unprecedented capabilities and help create a more prosperous and innovative America.

In a roughly 6,500-word open letter published on Monday, Zuckerberg presented what he described as a future in which people could have access to what he calls “personal superintelligence.” According to his argument, highly capable AI systems could help individuals start businesses, create art, conduct scientific research and solve complex problems more efficiently.

The manifesto comes as governments, technology companies and policymakers continue to debate how quickly AI should advance and how much regulatory oversight the industry needs.

Zuckerberg Pushes Optimistic AI Vision

Zuckerberg's argument is notably optimistic at a time when concerns about artificial intelligence have grown across the United States.

Public anxiety over AI has increased alongside worries about job displacement, misinformation, privacy and the possibility that increasingly autonomous systems could behave in unexpected ways.

Zuckerberg challenges the idea that AI development should primarily be viewed through the lens of potential catastrophe. He argues that if AI is developed around principles that give individuals greater control and access to technology, it could distribute power more broadly rather than concentrating it.

“Personal superintelligence” is central to that vision.

The concept refers to highly capable AI tools that could effectively work as personalised assistants, helping individuals perform tasks that currently require teams of specialists or substantial technical expertise.

Meta Wants AI Development to Continue

The manifesto also reflects Meta's broader position on AI development.

The company has invested heavily in artificial intelligence infrastructure, models and computing capacity. Zuckerberg's argument suggests that continued technological progress, rather than restrictions on development, should remain a central part of America's AI strategy.

He has also connected the development of advanced AI with Meta's longstanding philosophy of giving individuals greater access to technology.

In his letter, Zuckerberg argued that the company's mission has focused on putting power in people's hands and suggested that this principle could shape how AI's benefits are distributed.

Regulation Debate Intensifies

The timing of Zuckerberg's manifesto is significant.

The United States is engaged in an increasingly intense debate over how artificial intelligence should be regulated. Policymakers are weighing questions surrounding safety standards, national security, employment, competition and the responsibilities of companies developing increasingly powerful systems.

Some technology companies and AI researchers have argued that certain safeguards may be necessary as AI capabilities expand.

Zuckerberg, however, has emphasised the potential benefits of continued innovation and warned against allowing fear of AI's risks to overshadow its possibilities.

AI Systems Raise New Concerns

The debate has become more complicated following reports of AI systems demonstrating increasingly sophisticated and sometimes unexpected behaviour.

Recent testing incidents involving advanced AI models have included systems attempting to interact with external computer systems and, in some cases, carrying out actions that researchers did not intend.

Such developments have intensified discussions about whether companies should be required to conduct more rigorous safety testing before deploying increasingly autonomous AI systems.

For Zuckerberg, however, these risks do not outweigh the potential benefits of giving individuals access to powerful AI capabilities.

Meta's Position in the AI Race

The manifesto also places Meta's ambitions within the broader global AI competition.

Meta has been spending heavily on AI infrastructure and has been developing its own models while competing with companies such as OpenAI, Google and Anthropic.

The company's strategy includes developing increasingly capable AI systems and integrating them across products used by billions of people.

That scale gives Zuckerberg a particular interest in how regulators approach AI. Rules that increase development costs or restrict deployment could affect the speed at which Meta can introduce new AI products.

At the same time, failures involving powerful AI systems could create reputational, legal and financial risks for the company.

A Debate Over Who Controls AI

One of the central questions raised by Zuckerberg's manifesto is who should control the development and distribution of advanced artificial intelligence.

The Meta chief argues for a model in which individuals benefit directly from increasingly powerful AI rather than allowing the technology to remain concentrated among governments or a small number of corporations.

Critics of the industry's rapid expansion, however, have raised concerns about whether the world's largest technology companies can simultaneously serve as developers, distributors and major beneficiaries of the technology while also determining its safety standards.

That tension is likely to remain at the centre of America's AI debate.

Zuckerberg's Message to Policymakers

Zuckerberg's latest letter ultimately amounts to a strong case for continued AI innovation.

His argument is that the technology could dramatically expand individual capabilities and create new opportunities if people are given access to increasingly advanced systems.

The challenge for policymakers will be determining how to preserve those benefits while addressing concerns over safety, employment, privacy, cybersecurity and concentration of corporate power.

As AI capabilities continue to advance, Zuckerberg's manifesto makes clear where Meta stands: the company wants America to embrace the technology's potential rather than allow fear of its risks to dictate the pace of innovation.

Whether policymakers and the public agree with that approach is likely to remain one of the defining technology debates of the coming years.

The signature black leather jacket worn by NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang has fetched nearly ₹9.4 crore ($960,000) at a Sotheby’s auction, making it one of the most valuable pieces of modern tech memorabilia ever sold.

The jacket, which was initially expected to sell for $40,000–$60,000 (around ₹33 lakh–₹50 lakh), achieved a final price nearly 16 times higher than its estimated value. The auction highlights Huang’s growing influence in the global technology industry, where his signature look has become as recognizable as his company's AI leadership.

According to reports, the entire auction proceeds will be directed toward supporting young innovators, scientific research and fellowship programs. The funds will benefit an initiative backed by Long Journey Ventures, which works with the Edge Institute, a non-profit organization that brings together experts from technology, science, culture and society to develop breakthrough ideas.

A Signature Style in Silicon Valley

Jensen Huang’s black leather jacket has become one of Silicon Valley’s most recognizable fashion statements, much like Steve Jobs’ black turtleneck and Mark Zuckerberg’s grey T-shirt and hoodie.

The auctioned jacket is a Tom Ford leather jacket that Huang wore during Hon Hai Tech Day in Taipei on October 18, 2023. Sotheby’s authenticated the jacket by matching it with event photographs, while Huang’s signature was verified by James Spence Authentication.

Huang has often joked about his trademark appearance. During a 2016 Reddit "Ask Me Anything" session, he humorously referred to himself as "that guy in the leather jacket." The iconic outfit has since become closely associated with NVIDIA’s product launches, AI conferences and keynote presentations, including his Time magazine cover appearance in 2021.

Luxury Meets Technology

Fashion experts note that Jensen Huang is a long-time admirer of Tom Ford leather jackets, with many pieces in his wardrobe reportedly costing several thousand dollars, and some valued at over $10,000.

According to the Forbes Real-Time Billionaires List, Huang is currently among the world's wealthiest individuals, with an estimated net worth of $175 billion (around ₹16.8 lakh crore), driven by NVIDIA's rapid growth in the artificial intelligence sector.

India's ambition to become a global artificial intelligence (AI) powerhouse is facing a significant challenge as an increasing number of its top AI professionals are choosing to build their careers in the United States. Higher salaries, access to advanced AI research and a mature startup ecosystem are emerging as the primary factors driving this migration.

According to a Forbes India report, many Indian AI researchers working in Silicon Valley say they have little incentive to return home. The trend has also encouraged several Indian entrepreneurs to establish AI startups in the US instead of India, raising concerns over the country's long-term competitiveness in the global AI race.

Despite being regarded as one of the world's largest hubs for enterprise AI talent, India continues to lose highly skilled professionals to overseas markets. Experts believe that while the country produces a large number of engineering graduates, retaining advanced AI talent remains a growing challenge.

The demand for AI specialists is also reshaping India's technology hiring landscape. According to the JobSpeak June 2026 report, AI-related job opportunities have increased by 16%, even as overall hiring in the IT sector declined by 3%. Companies are prioritising recruitment of AI experts while investing in reskilling existing employees to meet changing industry demands.

The talent gap is expected to widen further in the coming years. NASSCOM estimates that India could face a shortage of more than 6 lakh AI professionals by 2027. Although over 90% of early-career technology professionals use AI tools, only 23% possess the technical expertise required to independently develop and deploy AI systems.

Industry leaders say the issue is not merely a shortage of graduates but a lack of industry-ready skills. According to Anand Mahurkar, CEO of Findability Sciences, many graduates are familiar with machine learning concepts and Python programming but lack hands-on experience with real-world AI applications, creating a significant gap between academic learning and industry expectations.

As global competition for AI talent intensifies, experts believe India will need stronger research infrastructure, better compensation, startup incentives and industry-academia collaboration to retain its best minds and strengthen its position in the rapidly evolving AI ecosystem.

An Indian tech founder's recent statement urging parents to reconsider college education has sparked heated debate across the country. Citing American students who skip university altogether, the founder echoed Silicon Valley's growing anti-college sentiment—but education experts warn this advice could be disastrous for Indian students.

The trend isn't new in tech circles. Peter Thiel's "Thiel Fellowship" has funded college dropouts since 2011, while his company Palantir launched a "Meritocracy Fellowship" in 2023 that lets students work directly instead of attending university. Tesla CEO Elon Musk frequently declares "you don't need college to learn anything important."
These statements spread like wildfire on social media, resonating with families worried about rising education costs and uncertain job markets. But here's what gets lost in translation: America's education system and India's operate in completely different universes.

The Dangerous Assumption Behind the Advice
When American students skip college education India-style discussions miss a crucial point: context matters enormously. The U.S. K-12 system, financial aid structures, and recognition of alternative credentials look nothing like India's educational landscape.

American students who successfully bypass traditional universities typically benefit from high-quality primary education that builds critical thinking, research skills, and self-directed learning. They have access to well-funded libraries, advanced courses, career counseling, and family safety nets.
Indian students face vastly different realities. Most navigate an education system prioritizing rote memorization over comprehension. The gap between elite urban schools and rural government institutions creates massive disparities in actual learning, even when test scores look similar.

Why Most Indian Students Aren't Ready at Eighteen
Education analysts highlight an uncomfortable truth: many Indian students simply aren't prepared for independent learning at eighteen—academically, emotionally, or practically.

"The Silicon Valley narrative assumes students have foundational skills our schooling system often fails to provide," explains Dr. Meera Sharma, an education policy researcher. "Critical reading, analytical writing, independent research—these capabilities require years of development that most Indian schools don't prioritize."
The readiness gap manifests clearly in universities. Faculty members across Indian institutions report students struggling with basic comprehension, unable to construct coherent arguments, and unprepared for intellectual independence that college education India programs demand.

Beyond academics, emotional maturity matters. While American students often work part-time jobs and take gap years building life skills, Indian students frequently transition directly from protected home environments to university without intermediate experiences.

The Quality Crisis Nobody Talks About
Discussing college education India requires confronting quality issues within universities themselves. While IITs, IIMs, and premier institutions maintain standards, most of India's 50,000-plus colleges suffer from inadequate infrastructure, under-qualified faculty, and outdated curricula.
Recent assessments show only a fraction of Indian institutions meet basic quality benchmarks. Many function as degree mills offering credentials without substantive learning.

However, the solution isn't abandoning higher education—it's demanding better quality and ensuring students enter universities actually prepared to benefit.

Silicon Valley executives preaching against college typically benefited from excellent education, had family resources, possessed exceptional self-direction, and operated where alternative paths receive recognition. Few acknowledge these privileges when advising others.

The Middle Path India Actually Needs
For Indian students and parents, wholesale rejection of college education India would prove catastrophic. Unlike America's robust alternative ecosystem, India lacks widespread recognition of non-traditional pathways. Social mobility remains closely tied to educational credentials.

India's employability challenge stems not from over-education but from education quality. National reports show less than 50% of graduates possess employer-required skills—not because they attended college, but because colleges failed to educate properly.

Practical steps forward:

Reform K-12 to build genuine comprehension, not memorization
Strengthen college quality through better faculty and modern curricula
Develop recognized alternative pathways while maintaining degrees for fields requiring them
Provide honest guidance about university readiness
Consider gap years or foundation programs for students needing preparation

Making Smart Decisions in Indian Context
Students facing college decisions should ignore Silicon Valley soundbites and focus on Indian realities. Assess your genuine readiness honestly. Evaluate institution quality rigorously. Consider whether your career field actually requires formal education—medicine, law, engineering, and research genuinely need credentials.
Recognize that what works for privileged American students with excellent prior education differs vastly from what serves most Indian students navigating different circumstances.

The question isn't whether everyone needs college education India style, but rather who benefits from which pathways given their readiness, goals, and context.

Quality education matters enormously for opportunity and national development. Rather than importing Silicon Valley narratives uncritically, India needs solutions addressing actual challenges: improving school quality, reforming higher education, and providing honest guidance helping students make informed decisions.

The debate should focus less on whether students attend college and more on ensuring whatever pathways they choose actually deliver the learning, skills, and development India's future requires.