Apple CEO Tim Cook said artificial intelligence is an essential tool to help companies reduce their carbon footprint, taking part in a climate change dialogue at the China Development Forum on Sunday.
Cook took part in a discussion at the annual event in Beijing as the culmination of a week of public demonstrations of his company’s commitment to China. He had previously met with Trade Minister Wang Wentao and announced plans to further invest in Apple’s supply chain, stores and research in the country.
Apple has set some of the most ambitious goals among its competitors to reduce its carbon footprint, with the Apple Watch touted as its first zero-carbon product. Cook focused on this theme in his remarks and for much of his visit.
“We’re making great progress, but we’re not there yet, and the road ahead requires more innovation,” Cook said of the company’s environmental goals. Apple is investing huge investments and resources in the development of artificial intelligence, partly because it has been overtaken by more aggressive competitors such as OpenAI with its ChatGPT.
AI “provides a huge toolkit for every company that wants to be carbon neutral or reduce their emissions substantially,” the 63-year-old CEO said. It can help companies calculate an individual’s carbon footprint, identify materials available for recovery and offer strategies for recycling.
Like Apple, major Chinese technology companies are racing to advance in the AI space, yet U.S. trade sanctions have limited their access to the best semiconductors for the task, made by Nvidia Corp.
The Apple boss has returned to the CDF at a time when Beijing wants to demonstrate that it is open for business. Cook was also one of the main names on last year’s attendee list, which was the first time the event had been held in person after three years of Covid lockdown. He spoke with Chinese Premier Li Qiang and other CEOs of international companies after Li’s keynote speech.
Cook told reporters that he has visited China often over the past year because “it’s so vibrant and dynamic here, I always enjoy coming.” Her social media team documented his visits on her Weibo profile with supply partners and a small coffee company that used Apple technology.
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“To make the best products we need partners who share our commitment to innovation and protecting the planet,” Cook said in one of the posts, praising suppliers BYD Co., Lens Technology Co. and Shenzhen Everwin Precision Technology Co. He also praised the coffee maker. Saturnbird for recycling coffee grounds and containers.
The environmental theme of Cook’s trip – which included the opening of a large new store in Shanghai on Thursday – may have been chosen to avoid running afoul of geopolitical sensitivities. U.S.-China relations have continued to deteriorate, with threats to ban ByteDance Ltd.’s TikTok in the United States if its Chinese owner doesn’t relent.
Apple has been on the receiving end of China’s response, as it has faced a growing ban on iPhones at government-run or state-backed Chinese companies.
The company’s global business operations are now carbon neutral and it aims to have net zero climate impact across its entire business by 2030. This would include manufacturing supply chains and the entire product lifecycle product.