Apple’s ‘Jalen Brunson Moment’? Dan Ives Says WWDC Marks Defining AI Turning Point, Sees Up To $100 Per Share In Upside

Wedbush analyst Dan Ives says Apple is finally entering the AI game in a meaningful way, creating a new path for services growth that could drive further upside for the stock.

• Ives estimates AI could add $75-$100 per share to Apple's valuation as the company begins monetizing AI across its ecosystem.
• The analyst believes AI-powered offerings could generate an additional $15 billion-$20 billion in annual services revenue, creating a new growth driver for the company.
• With 1.5 billion iPhones and 2.5 billion active devices, Ives believes Apple has a distribution advantage that competitors cannot easily replicate.

Apple Inc.’s (AAPL) annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) could mark a huge moment in the company’s artificial intelligence journey, according to Wedbush analyst Dan Ives, who described the event as a “Jalen Brunson moment” for CEO Tim Cook and the iPhone maker’s leadership team.

Speaking on CNBC, Ives said Apple is finally stepping decisively into the AI race after years of criticism that it was lagging rivals.

Apple shares rose more than 2% during Monday's session before trimming some of those gains. At the time of writing, the stock was up about 0.8%. 

AAPL’s ‘Jalen Brunson Moment’

Ives’ reference was to New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson, whose emergence transformed him from a solid contributor into the face of a franchise and one of the NBA’s premier players. By invoking Brunson, Ives appeared to suggest WWDC could be remembered as the moment Apple moved from being viewed as an AI laggard to becoming a serious contender in the race to commercialize artificial intelligence.

Ives compared Apple’s AI push to a breakout moment, saying WWDC could represent a defining turning point for the company. “They basically ripped the band-aid off, and now we’re here,” Ives said, adding that investors have yet to fully appreciate the financial impact AI could have on Apple's business.

The analyst stated that Apple has faced growing pressure to articulate its AI strategy as competitors, including OpenAI, Alphabet’s Google, and Meta Platforms, continue to roll out new products and capabilities.

Despite concerns that Apple entered the AI race later than its peers, Ives said the company does not need to lead in every aspect of AI development to emerge as a winner.

“Now they’re actually in the game. And once you’re in the game, the monetization of that, that's what's now going to start to get factored into the stock,” he said. 

AI Could Add $75-$100 Per Share, Says Ives

A key part of Ives’ bullish thesis centers on AI-driven monetization opportunities. He said artificial intelligence could add between $75 and $100 per share to Apple’s valuation as the company integrates AI features across its ecosystem and begins generating revenue from those offerings.

Beyond valuation gains, Ives sees AI creating a meaningful new revenue stream for Apple's services business. The analyst estimated that AI-powered products and services could generate an additional $15 billion to $20 billion in annual services revenue over time.

With Apple's services segment already generating around $100 billion annually, Ives believes AI could provide another layer of growth for one of the company's most profitable businesses. 

AAPL’s Installed Base Gives It A Unique Edge

Ives believes Apple's biggest advantage is distribution. The company has an installed base of approximately 1.5 billion iPhones and 2.5 billion active devices worldwide, giving it a massive platform through which consumers can access AI-powered tools and services, he said. “When you have 1.5 billion iPhones and 2.5 billion iOS devices, they had to get in the game,” Ives said. 

AAPL Stock: What Retail Sentiment Says

Sentiment around AAPL on Stocktwits was ‘bullish’ on Monday, while message volume was ‘normal.’

Since Apple’s last WWDC, held from June 9-13, 2025, AAPL stock has gained nearly 50%. 

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