iCloud+: Apple to Charge for Expanded AI Use on iPhone and Co
Apple looks set to give users the option to pay for more AI usage. On Thursday’s quarterly earnings call, CEO Tim Cook indicated that additional Apple Intelligence capacity would be offered through paid iCloud+ tiers. Users would be able to “buy up the stack,” as Cook put it — in other words, add higher-value packages.
Cook did not name specific prices or new tier labels. It also remains open whether this means dedicated AI tiers within iCloud+ or add-on allowances layered onto existing storage plans. The general direction, though, is clear: Apple is tying AI capacity to its existing cloud storage subscription rather than setting up a standalone AI subscription. Cook justified the move by pointing to expected demand — he said he anticipates heavy use of Apple Intelligence and the new Siri.
What iCloud+ is today
The foundation for this has been in place for some time. Every Apple ID comes with 5 GB of free storage; anything beyond that runs through the paid iCloud+ service. In the US, the tiers cost $0.99 for 50 GB, $2.99 for 200 GB and $9.99 for 2 TB per month, with 6 TB at $29.99 and 12 TB at $59.99 above that. In the eurozone, Apple charges the same figures in euros
What subscribers pay for is not just storage space. iCloud+ also includes privacy features such as Private Relay, Hide My Email, a custom email domain and HomeKit Secure Video. For the latter, the number of supported cameras depends on the tier: one on 50 GB, up to five on 200 GB, and unlimited from 2 TB upwards. All paid tiers can be shared with up to five additional people via Family Sharing. Apple has therefore already established a pattern in which higher tiers deliver more functionality rather than just more gigabytes — precisely the place where AI limits could be slotted in.
New Siri arrives this fall with iOS 27
The backdrop is the broad rollout of the revamped Siri, which after repeated delays is due this fall alongside iOS 27. The AI assistant is meant to answer questions about what is currently on screen and to take actions across apps. It also comes with a standalone Siri app featuring a text-based interface of the kind familiar from ChatGPT.
With this, Apple is following a pattern OpenAI, Google and Anthropic have already established with their paid tiers: basic functions free, heavier use for a monthly fee. Apple is arriving comparatively late, but it has an installed base of more than a billion active devices — meaning the features land on hardware already in people’s pockets.
