Apple trims daily AI spending allowance for engineers, with deeper cuts planned

What happened

Apple has reduced how much its engineers may spend each day on AI tools, TechCrunch reported, citing Bloomberg. According to that report, the company lowered the daily cap for engineering teams in October from $300 to $200. The change is a notable shift for a company that has made an effort to build AI into the way its engineers work.

Further reductions are being prepared, according to people who spoke to Bloomberg, with some allowances expected to fall to $100 per day. For staff outside engineering, Apple is reportedly considering a daily ceiling as low as $25. The outlet said it had contacted Apple for comment.

Context

Earlier this year, many companies encouraged employees to use AI as heavily as possible, a trend dubbed tokenmaxxing, citing loosely defined efficiency benefits. That push faded as token bills mounted, and firms shifted toward rationing usage. Questions remain about whether the expense of building and running AI is matched by productivity gains, which are often hard to pin down.