Apple chief executive Tim Cook has offered an unexpected message to the billions of people using his company’s smartphones: use them less.
In an interview with Good Morning America co-anchor Michael Strahan that aired on March 17, 2026, Cook addressed concerns about how people engage with technology. “I don’t want people using them too much,” he said. “I don’t want people looking at the smartphone more than they’re looking in someone’s eyes, because if they’re just scrolling endlessly, this is not the way you wanna spend your day. Go out and spend it in nature.”
The remarks came during a wide-ranging conversation that touched on Apple’s 50th anniversary, the company’s expanded partnership with Save The Music, and Cook’s views on artificial intelligence and privacy.
On the Save The Music partnership, Cook announced that Apple is nearly doubling the number of schools it reaches through the initiative, with a target of providing music education to 25,000 students next year. The interview was conducted at Wadleigh Secondary School in Harlem, New York, where students learn using Apple devices donated through the programme.
Cook also weighed in on artificial intelligence, striking a measured tone. “I think AI is so profound and can be so positive, but technology doesn’t wanna be good, and it doesn’t wanna be bad. It’s in the hands of the user and the hands of the inventor,” he said.
The screen time warning from Cook is backed by a growing body of research. A study published in Frontiers in Psychiatry found that while smartphones are deeply embedded in modern life, excessive use is linked to physical discomfort, loneliness, anxiety and depression.
Cook also addressed retirement speculation during the interview, dismissing reports that he is preparing to step back. “I love what I do deeply,” he said. “28 years ago, I walked into Apple, and I’ve loved every day of it since. I can’t imagine life without Apple.”
Apple’s official 50th anniversary is set for April 1, 2026.
