In a significant strategic pivot, Apple has appointed a new artificial intelligence chief from Microsoft, underscoring the company’s urgent efforts to revitalize its lagging AI initiatives. The tech giant confirmed that John Giannandrea, who has led its AI division since 2018, is stepping down from his executive role. He will depart after a transition period this spring, concluding a tenure that oversaw the development and controversial launch of Apple Intelligence.
Stepping into the critical role of Vice President of AI is Amar Subramanya, a seasoned executive with deep roots in Apple’s core competitors. Subramanya brings sixteen years of engineering experience from Google, where he most recently led development for the Gemini Assistant, followed by a key position at Microsoft.
This hiring is widely viewed as a direct move to infuse Apple with operational knowledge from the very firms defining the current AI landscape. Subramanya will report directly to software chief Craig Federighi, who has been increasingly central to Apple’s AI strategy.
The leadership change follows a notably rocky period for Apple’s AI ambitions. The October 2024 debut of “Apple Intelligence,” the company’s comprehensive answer to platforms like ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini, was met with tepid and often critical reviews. Furthermore, a cornerstone feature of the initiative—a promised, profoundly upgraded Siri—was recently delayed until 2026, publicly signaling significant development hurdles. These stumbles have contributed to a narrative that Apple is playing catch-up in the AI race, despite a 16% rise in its stock this year.
CEO Tim Cook acknowledged Federighi’s expanding role, stating that he has been “instrumental in driving our AI efforts.” Cook also highlighted that Subramanya’s appointment would grow the AI leadership team, with a focus on delivering a more personalized Siri next year.
In his new capacity, Subramanya will directly oversee teams responsible for Apple’s foundational AI models, research, and AI safety protocols. Other groups previously under Giannandrea will be redistributed to operations chief Sabih Khan and services head Eddy Cue, indicating a broader reorganization beyond a simple personnel change.
This executive reshuffle arrives as investors express concerns that Apple’s AI investments in data centers, chips, and frontier models trail the massive spending of its big-tech rivals. The promotion of an executive with intimate knowledge of both Google’s and Microsoft’s AI playbooks represents Apple’s clearest signal yet that it is restructuring its approach to compete in this defining technological era.
