The reason for the shift? Stewart and Apple executives “had disagreements over some of the topics and guests,” the sources said. Specifically, they claimed Stewart told staffers that Apple execs took issue with planned programming related to both China and artificial intelligence, and noted that with the 2024 US election coming up, there might have been additional opportunities for disagreement then.
Apple does much of its business (both in production and sales) in China and has invested heavily in the country’s infrastructure. Regarding China, Apple execs may have been worried that Stewart’s planned commentary could alienate customers or partners in the country.
As for AI, Apple has increasingly focused on AI for software features on the iPhone. Primarily, it uses machine learning to drive things like search suggestions, photography, and palm detection. There have also been rumors that Apple plans to get into ChatGPT-like large language models, which have been more controversial.
For the obvious reason…