In an effort to control rising costs, Apple has reduced the daily budgets for technical staff’s use of AI models. According to sources cited by Bloomberg, the daily budget has been cut from $300 to $200 (from €267 to €178). For some teams, that amount could fall further to $100 (€89).
While non-technical employees are already limited to $100 (€89) a day, the budget for some groups could fall to just $25 (€22). Anyone needing additional funds must obtain approval from senior management.
These financial limits apply to the consumption of tokens, the fundamental units of data processed by AI. Because tasks such as debugging software and writing code require substantial resources, Apple is encouraging employees – who currently have access to Gemini, ChatGPT and Claude – to use cheaper options or models that run directly on local hardware.
Reactions to these changes within the company have been mixed. While some employees noted that the original $300 (€267) limit was rarely reached, others see this measure as a sign of broader cost-cutting measures to come. This unease follows the elimination of more than 200 jobs in August.
Under the leadership of CEO John Ternus, who took the helm on 1 September, the company has streamlined its operations by removing layers of management and bringing in external consultants to optimise efficiency.
Despite these specific restrictions, Apple’s total spending continues to rise. Its recent annual report shows that operating expenses increased by 22% to $75.5 billion (€67.2 billion). Investments in AI and infrastructure also contributed to a 32% rise in research and development spending in the 2026 financial year.
Apple’s approach reflects a broader industry trend towards regulating AI spending. Microsoft, for example, introduced departmental budgets in July, while Tesla limits employee spending to $200 a week (€178). Uber, meanwhile, has imposed a monthly cap of $1,500 (€1,336) for AI coding software.
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