Apple is offering free AI infrastructure access to small developers with fewer than 2 million App Store downloads, aiming to lower barriers to entry. The company expanded its Foundation Models framework to include image input and server model support, allowing integration with third-party cloud providers. This move comes as tech giants like Meta and Amazon scale back costly AI experimentation, positioning Apple as a budget-friendly option for indie developers.

At its Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple announced that developers with fewer than 2 million first-time App Store downloads can use its Foundation Models running in Private Cloud Compute at no cloud API cost. The move aims to attract indie developers by removing infrastructure expenses amid rising AI experimentation costs, and Apple is also expanding the Foundation Models framework to support image input and server models, including integration with third-party cloud providers.