London, Sep 30 (IANS): Apple CEO Tim Cook has revealed plans to hire more employees in the UK, as the iPhone maker aims to double down on work in the field of artificial intelligence (AI).

Cook, who has always called layoffs as a “last resort,” told PA news agency during his visit to the country that Apple is looking to ramp up hiring in Britain.

When asked about AI and jobs in the UK, he said: "We're hiring in that area, yes, and so I do expect (investment) to increase.”

Cook said that AI was behind several prominent features on Apple products.

"It's literally everywhere on our products and of course we're also researching generative AI as well, so we have a lot going on," he was quoted as saying in the report.

“AI is behind the Fall Detection on the (Apple) Watch, it’s behind Crash Detection, it’s behind Afib (atrial fibrillation) detection, it’s behind the ECG, it’s predictive typing on iPhone,” Cook added.

Culture Secretary Michelle Donelan said Apple's decision was "another vote of confidence in our burgeoning tech sector.”

"Apple's ongoing investment in brilliant British talent highlights our global credentials as both an AI and technology superpower," she posted on X.

Apple also revealed that it now supports more than 550,000 jobs across the UK through direct employment and other means, and has a new office in Cambridge where several hundred staff are working on AI, machine learning and other projects, reports Standard.co.uk.