Survey: 73% of CIOs now use Macs primarily for AI processing

Apple Macs are gaining significant traction in enterprise IT environments, with 73% of CIOs now citing AI processing as the primary use case for Apple hardware according to a new MacStadium survey of 300 chief information officers. This shift represents a fundamental change from Macs’ traditional role in creative work and app development, positioning them as critical infrastructure for AI workloads as enterprises prioritize artificial intelligence capabilities.

What you should know: Enterprise adoption of Mac infrastructure is accelerating rapidly across multiple dimensions.
• Apple technologies now account for an average of 63% of enterprise endpoints, with nearly all respondents (96%) expecting Mac investment to increase over the next 12 to 24 months.
• Nearly all CIOs surveyed said Apple technologies are important to their IT strategies, with 22% calling them “mission-critical.”

The big picture: AI processing has overtaken traditional development functions as the dominant enterprise use case for Mac hardware.
• AI workloads now lead at 73%, surpassing iOS and macOS app development at 68%.
• Build, test and deploy workflows came in at 61%, followed by remote desktop functions at 51%, and edge computing at 46%.

Why Apple silicon matters: Hardware capabilities are driving enterprise adoption decisions for AI deployments.
• Nearly two-thirds (60%) of CIOs said Apple silicon strongly influenced their decision to expand Mac use, while 33% said it somewhat influenced them.
• Security and privacy features, isolation models, and Apple silicon architecture particularly appeal to enterprises deploying private, cloud-based AI solutions.

Cloud deployment trends: The vast majority of enterprises are leveraging Mac infrastructure through cloud services.
• 97% of CIOs reported using Mac infrastructure in the cloud, with 77% using it extensively.
• This cloud-first approach supports remote workforces and enables scaling of AI-enabled workflows.

What they’re saying: Industry leaders see this as validation of a broader transformation in enterprise computing.
• “Apple is no longer just for developers. Macs are powering AI workloads, executive teams, creative functions and enterprise-wide workflows,” said Ken Tacelli, CEO of MacStadium, a cloud infrastructure provider.
• “As organizations accelerate their cloud strategies, Apple infrastructure has become an essential, enterprise-ready component of IT environments.”