Apple FY2026 Q2 R&D spending hits record $11.4 billion, up 34% year-on-year, increases investment in AI

According to the financial report data for the second quarter of fiscal year 2026 (corresponding to the first quarter, ending March 28), Apple's R&D expenditure reached $11.4 billion (approximately 77.986 billion RMB at the current exchange rate) in this quarter, setting a new historical high, marking a 34% year-on-year increase.

IT Home, quoting 9to5Mac's chart data, indicates Apple's R&D investments have shown a steep upward trajectory. From a baseline of about $6 billion in 2022, it has climbed all the way to the current $11 billion level. Especially in the first quarter of fiscal year 2026, this expenditure surpassed the $10 billion mark for the first time, signifying a qualitative leap in investment intensity.

During the financial call, Apple CEO Tim Cook explicitly stated that the company is increasing investment in AI R&D, emphasizing that Apple is actively advancing both internal research and development and external cooperation. The growth rate of R&D expenses has far exceeded the overall growth rate of the company, with funds being directed toward a full-stack AI build-out across products and services.

Although Apple's investment intensity is unprecedented, the company still finds itself in a catch-up position in the tech giants' AI arms race. For the same period, Alphabet's R&D expenditure was $17 billion, while Meta's reached as high as $17.6 billion. In terms of absolute investment scale, Apple still lags to some extent and faces considerable competitive pressure.