Artificial intelligence is definitely at the heart of Apple’s priorities, which seeks to strengthen its capabilities in this strategic area. According to new information, the Cupertino company is preparing a server chip dedicated to AI in collaboration with Broadcom, a project that could redefine the future of its services and perhaps lead the company to reinvest in the server market so far abandoned.
An ambitious project coded “Baltra”
According to The Information, Apple is currently developing a server chip specialized in artificial intelligence, in partnership with Broadcom. This project, called “Baltra” (named after a Galapagos island), should see the light of day in 2026. This is a first for Apple, which has never before designed a server processor dedicated to server tasks. AI. As a reminder, Apple has already offered server products with the Xserve but it was abandoned in 2011 and Cupertino was no longer interested in this market. Is the processor designed with Broadcoam intended
This collaboration with Broadcom takes a particular form: unlike the usual arrangements where Broadcom supervises the entire production, the company would only intervene here on certain specific aspects. Apple would adopt a modular architecture based on “chiplets”, making it possible to entrust Broadcom only with the network part while keeping other design elements confidential.
A strategic reorganization of teams
To carry out this major project, Apple has mobilized its best resources. The Israeli team, which played a crucial role in the development of Apple Silicon chips, is now leading the development of Baltra. The priority given to this project is such that Apple even abandoned the development of a high-performance processor for Mac in order to reassign engineers to Baltra.
The chip will integrate an improved version of the Neural Engine, initially designed for Apple’s autonomous car project before being integrated into iPhones. Manufacturing will obviously be entrusted to TSMC, using its N3P process, the same technology that will equip the future iPhone 17 Pro.
Major implications for Apple’s future
This initiative is part of a broader strategy by Apple to strengthen its AI capabilities. According to Bloomberg, the firm plans to launch a more conversational version of Siri, potentially as early as 2026, which could rival ChatGPT and Claude. The new server chip would be crucial to supporting these advanced features.
This development would also allow Apple to free itself from Nvidia solutions, which are very popular in data centers dedicated to AI. Remember that Apple is currently using Amazon chips to drive its services linked to Apple Intelligence, a temporary situation pending the deployment of its own solutions.
The Baltra project therefore represents a major strategic investment for Apple, which seeks to maintain its technological independence while positioning itself as a key player in AI. With the Apple Car forgotten and the Vision Pro in difficulty, Apple has found its new great workhorse.
