Big Technology Podcast Did Apple Get AI Spending Right?, Microsoft & OpenAI’s New Reality, Where’s Stargate?
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May 5, 2026 
M.G. Siegler, Spyglass writer and longtime Silicon Valley analyst, joins for a fast-moving look at Apple’s unusually restrained AI spending. They dig into whether that bet could pay off, what John Ternus might change, how Microsoft and OpenAI are redefining their relationship, and why Stargate has become such a moving target in the AI infrastructure race.
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The IPhone Could Still Be Apple’s AI Moat
- Apple’s biggest AI edge may be hardware, not frontier models, if the iPhone remains the main device people use for AI.
- Alex Kantrowitz frames the downside as Apple becoming a legacy device maker, while Siegler argues billions already carry the best AI-ready hardware.
On Device AI Could Reopen The Chip Power Battle
- On-device AI creates a possible Apple-versus-NVIDIA future where local chips matter more than giant remote clusters.
- Siegler says if models become good enough on-device, the debate starts resembling iPhone versus Android and “good enough” commoditization again.
John Ternus Is Signaling A Bigger Apple Spend
- John Ternus appears to be preparing Apple to spend more by loosening its cash-neutral stance and preserving flexibility for AI.
- Siegler reads the signal as cover for future capex, R&D, or acquisitions, especially with chip chief Johny Srouji elevated at the same moment.