Albanese made the disclosure after visiting Apple Park, the company’s headquarters in the United States, where he held discussions with Cook as part of his visit to the country.
“Tim Cook gave us a lot of time this morning. He regards the work that we’ve done on social media to be world-leading,” Albanese said in remarks broadcast in Australia on Sunday.
The comments come as Australia continues to implement some of the most far-reaching social media restrictions introduced by a national government, particularly measures aimed at protecting children from potential online harms.
In December, Australia became the first country to impose a ban preventing children under the age of 16 from using social media platforms.
The Australian government has since continued to pursue broader measures aimed at giving users greater control over the content they encounter online.
Earlier this month, Canberra announced plans that would allow social media users to select the type of content appearing on their feeds, marking another step in its wider effort to strengthen online safety and give users greater control over their digital experiences.
Other governments have also moved towards restricting children's access to social media. The European Commission this year proposed a ban on social media access for children under 13, placing Australia’s approach within a growing international debate over how governments should regulate platforms and protect young users.
Asked about Albanese’s comments regarding Cook, an Apple spokesperson referred to a post by the Apple executive on X.
Cook said he was grateful for the opportunity to share with Albanese “some of our newest innovations, including strong and intuitive controls to help keep kids safe online”.
The meeting also came against the backdrop of a broader debate in the technology industry over artificial intelligence, its rapid development and the extent to which governments should regulate the emerging technology.
Cook recently stepped down as Apple’s chief executive after 15 years in the position, with his departure coming as the technology industry faces growing questions over the opportunities and risks associated with increasingly powerful AI systems.
Albanese used his US visit to stress the need for international discussions about the development and deployment of artificial intelligence.
The Australian prime minister said the rapid pace of AI development meant governments could not ignore questions surrounding safety, accountability and human oversight.
“There is a need for a discussion about what the global framework is for the roll out of AI, because it is moving very quickly, and we need to make sure that humans remain in control,” Albanese told reporters, according to an official transcript.
His comments come amid differences in the United States over how quickly the technology should advance and what role regulation should play in governing AI development.
Industry leaders and policymakers in Silicon Valley remain divided over the potential risks posed by increasingly capable AI systems and the appropriate balance between technological innovation and safeguards.
Albanese’s emphasis on the need for a global framework also contrasts with the position expressed by US President Donald Trump, who has played down concerns about AI and argued against additional regulation of the technology.
The contrasting approaches highlight an increasingly prominent international policy debate: how governments can encourage technological development while addressing concerns over online safety, artificial intelligence and the protection of children in digital spaces.
For Australia, the meeting with Cook provided an opportunity to discuss both its social media regulations and the broader technological changes reshaping the global digital economy.