Apple's head of artificial intelligence development is leaving

Apple has announced that longtime artificial intelligence (AI) chief John Giannandrea is leaving the company. Many had expected the layoffs as Apple faces apparent difficulties in developing and launching its AI (Artificial Intelligence) features, including a new version of Siri.

The division is being led by Amar Subramanya, who will be responsible for developing Apple's AI models, machine learning research, and AI security as the new vice president. Subramanya spent more than a decade at Google before heading up key programs at Microsoft's AI division this summer. Apple has high hopes for him, as he will need to ensure that research advances are translated into actual products and services more quickly.

Giannandrea, who led Google's AI and search development before joining Apple, joined the company in 2018 with the clear goal of modernizing Siri, which was already lagging behind the competition. His role has become even more important as other tech giants have begun to introduce generative AI models into their core products.

In March of this year, Apple again postponed the introduction of a new, more personalized Siri, publicly admitting that development was progressing more slowly than expected. Bloomberg later reported that CEO Tim Cook had lost confidence in Giannandrea's ability to lead the team and had handed responsibility for the project to Mike Rockwell, head of the Vision Pro program. Giannandrea will remain in an advisory role until his retirement, scheduled for spring 2026.

Apple plans to release a revamped version of Siri next spring. Bloomberg reports that some of its features will be powered by a customized version of Google's Gemini model, marking a significant shift in Apple's strategy, as the company has traditionally rarely used outside technologies for such key features of its products.

Tim Cook said at the announcement that artificial intelligence has long been a central part of Apple's strategy and that the company looks forward to Subramanya strengthening the leadership team with his extensive knowledge.