After the introduction of the MacBook Neo held yesterday, Apple Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering John Ternus spoke with ABC News about the new product, artificial intelligence, and speculation that he might be Apple’s next CEO.

John Ternus on MacBook Neo and Apple’s Approach to Artificial Intelligence

ABC News reporter Elizabeth Schulze had the opportunity to interview John Ternus after the MacBook Neo introduction in New York City.

Here’s what Ternus said about the great opportunity of the MacBook Neo:

We really saw an opportunity to reach many more people here. Solid, reliable, and durable. It has all the features you expect from a Mac. And yes, it’s at a great price point.

When asked why it took Apple so long to offer such an affordable Mac, Schulze pointed out that many people have been wanting more affordable Apple products for a long time.

Ternus responded: “Of course. And I think the reason is this: the standard is high. We really didn’t want to do this until we could do it really, really well, and we wanted to build a Mac that we could be proud of.”

Touching on artificial intelligence, Ternus explained that this technology will become increasingly integrated into Apple’s products.

He also made the following statement representing Apple’s philosophy on artificial intelligence:

I think Apple Intelligence will continue to grow and will make the things you do better and easier. If we do this right, people won’t really notice or think about it. They will just start using a new feature they really love more.

Will John Ternus Be Apple’s Next CEO?

ABC News’s Schulze directly asked Ternus about speculation that he would be Apple’s next CEO.

Of course, his answer didn’t provide much information. However, it is still noteworthy. It is rare to get a public statement about CEO succession from a senior leader at Apple—let alone from someone rumored to be the next CEO.

Here’s Ternus’s response regarding the CEO speculation:

The good news is that I love the job I have,” Ternus began. “I have the opportunity to work with the most wonderful people in the world, and on days like today, when we announce all these products, being here is the best place to be.”

You can read more from the interview here.

What notes did you take from John Ternus’s interview? Let us know in the comments.

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