- Apple previously toyed with the idea of launching its own public cloud powered by M-series chips
- M-series chips already form the underpinnings of Private Cloud Compute and more
- Project ACDC’s leader left in 2023 and the project’s future is uncertain
Apple previously considered launching its own cloud services to compete with key hyperscaler alternatives like Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud, but has apparently pulled the idea.
A report by The Information notes the initiative was said to have been known as Project ACDC (Apple Chips in Data Centers), and would have given developers access to Apple’s proprietary M-series chips.
Apple reportedly targeted offering a cheaper and more efficient alternative to traditional cloud platforms that use Intel or GPU-heavy servers by replacing them with its own M-series chips, which are known for their computing efficiency and strong AI inferencing capabilities.
Apple reportedly wanted to launch an AWS rival
Apple already uses its M-series chips applications beyond its Mac and iPad range – it started testing its chips in data centers with the launch of Private Cloud Compute (PCC), which handles complex AI queries when on-device processing power isn’t sufficient.
Other Apple services, like Siri, Photos and Music, also got access to M-series chips to improve performance across things like search.
It could even be possible that these efforts could underpin the much-needed upgraded version of Siri.
With potential plans to launch the service to developers via its Developer Relations team, rather than creating a new sales team, Project ACDC would largely be an Apple-focused initiative, enabling developers to design iOS and macOS apps directly on Apple’s chips, reducing dependency on expensive GPUs.
Michael Abbott, the exec previously behind Project ACDC, left the company in 2023, but discussions reportedly continued into at least early 2024. The project’s future remains uncertain.
However, Apple has previously indicated a desire to grow services revenue, and Project ACDC could certainly align with that.
It could also help Apple cut costs on its own development, with the company reportedly spending $7 billion annually on third-party cloud services (via Apple Insider).
