Bloomberg: Apple Cuts Some Engineers' AI Budgets to $100-$200 Daily

According to a Bloomberg report, Apple has further tightened its internal AI tool usage budgets due to soaring artificial intelligence expenditures. Sources indicate that the company has lowered the daily AI usage limit for some engineers from $300 to $200, with certain engineers seeing their caps cut to $100 per day. However, a small number of employees still maintain the original $300 daily standard. Previously, non-engineering staff at Apple already had a daily AI budget cap of $100.

The report states that the company is also considering reducing budgets for some teams to as low as $25 per day. Employees requiring higher limits for work-related needs can apply for exemptions from senior management. Apple declined to comment on these adjustments.

This budget reduction comes as new CEO John Ternus pushes for streamlining operations. While Ternus aims to control costs, the company faces significant research and development pressures. Reports suggest that AI and infrastructure costs currently account for 32% of Apple's engineering R&D expenses. In August, Apple laid off over 200 employees, primarily affecting the Siri and Vision Pro divisions.

AI token spending has become a heavy cost burden for current technology companies. Other IT firms are also taking similar measures to reduce employee AI budgets. For instance, Accenture reportedly adjusted the monthly cap for employee use of Claude Enterprise to $29 per person starting in October 2026, with excess costs deducted from project funds. Companies like Meta, Microsoft, and Atlassian have also implemented similar budget restrictions or required employees to prioritize using their own AI tools.