Tim Cook shared an inside look at the work he is doing behind the scenes as he prepares to step down as Apple's CEO next week. Cook has been preparing incoming CEO John Ternus for the transition over the last several months, and today he introduced Ternus to popular Pokémon character Pikachu.
Cook said he and Ternus met with the Pokémon team to talk gaming. The accompanying video features Pikachu exploring the Apple Park campus, including dancing under the rainbow arch and picking an apple from the orchard.
Today's agenda at Apple Park: Introduce the @Pokemon team to John, talk gaming, and politely ask Pikachu to stay out of the pond. Two out of three were accomplished. pic.twitter.com/KzirV3VX8U — Tim Cook (@tim_cook) August 27, 2026
It's not clear why the Pokémon team was at Apple Park, but Cook first met Pikachu in September 2025 on a trip to Japan for the reopening of Apple Ginza in Tokyo.
There are several Pokémon-themed games available on Apple's platforms, including Pokémon GO, Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket, Pokémon UNITE, and Pokémon Champions.
