Apple’s Head of AI John Giannandrea Steps Down
Apple stated that John Giannandrea, who is the head of artificial intelligence, will be resigning, and will be succeeded by Amar Subramanya, a highly regarded Microsoft executive who spent 16 years at Google, most recently leading engineering for the Gemini Assistant.
Giannandrea has been in charge of Machine Learning and AI Strategy for seven years, and he will officially retire in the spring of 2026, according to Apple. During the rest of his time at the tech company, Giannandrea will take on the role of an advisor.
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Giannandrea held the position of senior vice president at Apple and reported to CEO Tim Cook. Apple announced that he will remain as an advisor until he retires in the coming spring.
Experts have stated this year that Apple has lagged behind its technology counterparts in artificial intelligence, a field that saw a resurgence with the launch of ChatGPT by OpenAI in 2022.
Apple Intelligence was expected to compete with leaders in artificial intelligence such as OpenAI and Google. However, it has received negative reviews from both users and critics.
This year, the key aspect of Apple Intelligence, which is a greatly enhanced Siri assistant, faced delays and is now expected to be released in 2026. This delay indicates that there have been challenges in the development process.
Apple has stated that Subramanya will take on the role of vice president of AI and will be reporting to software chief Craig Federighi. Cook mentioned in a statement that Federighi is already making substantial contributions to Apple's artificial intelligence projects.
“In addition to growing his leadership team and AI responsibilities with Amar’s joining, Craig has been instrumental in driving our AI efforts, including overseeing our work to bring a more personalized Siri to users next year,” Cook said.
Subramanya will be in charge of teams focusing on Apple's fundamental models, research, and AI safety. Apple has announced that the teams previously reporting to Giannandrea will now report to COO Sabih Khan and services chief Eddy Cue.
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In 2025, Apple's stock has increased by 16 percent, but it has not performed as well as other major tech companies. Investors believe that Apple has not kept up with competitors who are heavily investing in AI data centers, chips, and cutting-edge technology. In August, Apple announced a significant increase in its investment in AI, with CEO Tim Cook describing it as a profound technology.
Apple has partnered with leading AI company OpenAI to incorporate ChatGPT into certain products, such as Siri. Apple is approaching technology differently compared to companies such as Microsoft, Google, and Meta. The company is investing less in infrastructure for technology. Additionally, Apple chooses to have its AI operate on its devices rather than relying on more robust computers in the cloud.
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This year, Apple witnessed Jony Ive, the iconic hardware designer who played a key role in creating the iPhone with Steve Jobs, sell his startup io to OpenAI for $6.4 billion. Experts suggest that Apple has established a strong sense of customer loyalty since the introduction of the iPhone in 2007. However, they also point out that AI-powered hardware is emerging, as confirmed by Apple's Chief Design Officer Jony Ive and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. The two of them recently mentioned that they have already finished working on their initial prototypes, which could potentially be unveiled within the next two years.