Apple offers free AI for small developers

Apple is lowering AI infrastructure costs for smaller developers, aiming to attract new talent to its platform. Developers with under two million first-time App Store downloads can now use Apple's Foundation Models via Private Cloud Compute without incurring cloud API fees. This initiative mirrors Apple's Small Business Program, designed to support emerging app creators. The company is also expanding its Foundation Models framework to support image input and server models, allowing integration with third-party cloud providers for more complex AI tasks. This move addresses the rising costs of AI experimentation in the industry, positioning Apple as a more accessible option.