Apple Reevaluates AI Health Coach Initiative Amid Leadership Changes
Apple has recently adjusted its approach to Project Mulberry, an ambitious initiative aimed at integrating an AI-driven health coach into its Health app. This decision follows significant leadership transitions within the company’s health and artificial intelligence divisions.
Background on Project Mulberry
Initially unveiled in early 2025, Project Mulberry was designed to revolutionize personal health management by introducing an AI agent capable of providing personalized health recommendations. This agent was to be trained using data from Apple-employed physicians and supplemented with insights from experts in sleep, nutrition, physical therapy, mental health, and cardiology. To support this endeavor, Apple established a dedicated studio in Oakland, California, intended for producing educational health content.
Leadership Transitions Impacting the Project
The trajectory of Project Mulberry has been influenced by notable shifts in Apple’s leadership:
– Health Division: Jeff Williams, Apple’s longstanding Chief Operating Officer, retired, leading to the oversight of health and fitness teams being transferred to Eddy Cue, the Senior Vice President of Services.
– AI Division: John Giannandrea, Senior Vice President of Machine Learning and AI Strategy, announced his retirement, effective in the spring of 2026. His responsibilities are being integrated into the software engineering group under Craig Federighi.
Strategic Reassessment
Under Eddy Cue’s leadership, a critical evaluation of Project Mulberry was conducted. Reports indicate that Cue expressed concerns about the project’s competitiveness, especially when compared to offerings from emerging health tech companies like Oura Health and Whoop. These companies have been recognized for delivering compelling and user-friendly health features through their applications.
Future Directions
Despite scaling back the comprehensive vision of Project Mulberry, Apple remains committed to enhancing its Health app. Plans are underway to introduce select features from the original project incrementally. Notably, there is an initiative to utilize the iPhone’s camera to analyze users’ gait, providing insights into mobility and overall health.
Additionally, Apple is developing an AI chatbot designed to answer health-related queries. This chatbot leverages an internal system known as World Knowledge Answers, positioning it as a competitor to Google’s AI-driven search results and applications like Perplexity.
Looking ahead, with the anticipated release of iOS 27, Apple aims to enhance Siri’s capabilities, enabling it to handle more advanced health-related inquiries across its platforms.
Conclusion
Apple’s decision to recalibrate Project Mulberry underscores the company’s commitment to delivering high-quality, competitive health solutions. By focusing on integrating select, impactful features and leveraging advancements in AI, Apple continues to strive for innovation in personal health management.
