Apple Inc. is currently navigating a turbulent period in its artificial intelligence (AI) division, marked by significant leadership changes, talent departures, and strategic reevaluations. These developments underscore the company’s ongoing efforts to maintain a competitive edge in the rapidly evolving AI landscape.
Leadership Overhaul in AI Division
In March 2025, Apple initiated a substantial restructuring of its AI leadership. CEO Tim Cook expressed diminishing confidence in John Giannandrea, the Senior Vice President of Machine Learning and AI Strategy, regarding his ability to drive product development effectively. Consequently, Mike Rockwell, previously at the helm of the Vision Products Group responsible for the Vision Pro headset, was appointed to lead the Siri virtual assistant team. This move transferred oversight of Siri from Giannandrea to Craig Federighi, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Software Engineering, signaling a strategic shift aimed at revitalizing Apple’s AI initiatives. ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/apple-shakes-up-ai-executive-ranks-bid-turn-around-siri-bloomberg-news-reports-2025-03-20/?utm_source=openai))
Departure of Key AI Talent
The restructuring coincided with the departure of Tom Gunter, a senior researcher specializing in large language models, who left Apple after an eight-year tenure. Gunter’s exit is particularly impactful given his deep expertise in AI, which is challenging to replace. This departure highlights the competitive pressures Apple faces, as rivals like Meta and OpenAI offer lucrative compensation packages to attract top AI talent. ([appleinsider.com](https://appleinsider.com/articles/25/06/30/apple-faces-ai-talent-turmoil-as-senior-siri-researcher-departs?utm_source=openai))
Retention Challenges and Team Morale
Apple’s AI division has also faced internal challenges concerning team retention and morale. The MLX team, responsible for developing an open-source machine learning framework optimized for Apple Silicon, reportedly threatened to resign en masse. To prevent this potential exodus, Apple made counteroffers to retain these critical engineers. This incident reflects broader issues within the company, including concerns about compensation competitiveness and the need for engaging, meaningful projects to keep top talent motivated and aligned with Apple’s mission. ([appleinsider.com](https://appleinsider.com/articles/25/06/30/apple-faces-ai-talent-turmoil-as-senior-siri-researcher-departs?utm_source=openai))
Strategic Reevaluation of AI Development
Amid these internal challenges, Apple is reassessing its AI development strategy. The company is considering integrating AI technologies from external partners such as Anthropic or OpenAI to enhance Siri’s capabilities. This potential shift from relying solely on in-house AI models to incorporating third-party technologies indicates a significant change in Apple’s approach to AI development. Discussions have involved training large language models that could be tested using Apple’s cloud infrastructure, though these explorations are still in early stages, and no definitive decisions have been made. ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/business/apple-weighs-using-anthropic-or-openai-power-siri-major-reversal-bloomberg-news-2025-06-30/?utm_source=openai))
Internal Turmoil and Organizational Challenges
Reports have surfaced detailing internal turmoil within Apple’s AI and machine learning groups. Former employees have cited organizational dysfunction, a lack of ambition, and an overly relaxed culture as factors hindering progress. The AI/ML group has been humorously dubbed AIMLess, and Siri is often referred to as a hot potato, frequently passed between teams without substantial improvements. These issues have led to frustration among engineers and a noticeable exodus of talent from the company. ([macrumors.com](https://www.macrumors.com/2025/04/10/chaos-behind-siri-revealed/?utm_source=openai))
Technical Limitations and Strategic Missteps
Apple’s AI development has also been constrained by technical limitations and strategic missteps. The company’s data centers reportedly have only about 50,000 outdated GPUs, far fewer than the hundreds of thousands used by competitors like Google and Microsoft. When developers requested additional budget for new chips, only partial funding was approved, forcing reliance on external hardware. Additionally, initial plans for Siri involved building both small and large language models to run locally on devices and in the cloud, respectively. However, the team later decided to run everything through a single large cloud model, departing from Apple’s previous focus on local processing for privacy reasons. ([the-decoder.com](https://the-decoder.com/talent-drain-and-dysfunctional-leadership-apples-ai-ambitions-in-crisis/?utm_source=openai))
Conclusion
Apple’s recent leadership changes, talent departures, and strategic reevaluations highlight the company’s challenges in maintaining a competitive position in the AI sector. The departure of key personnel like Tom Gunter, internal retention struggles, and potential shifts toward integrating third-party AI technologies reflect broader issues within Apple’s AI strategy. As the company continues to navigate these challenges, the effectiveness of its leadership restructuring and strategic decisions will be critical in determining its future success in the AI domain.
