CUPERTINO, California, December 1, 2025 – John Giannandrea, Apple’s senior vice president for machine learning and AI strategy, will retire in spring 2026 after seven years at the company, a move that coincides with ongoing setbacks in the development of an advanced Siri voice assistant.
Giannandrea joined Apple in 2018 from Google, where he led AI and search efforts, and was quickly elevated to report directly to CEO Tim Cook. During his tenure, he oversaw the integration of machine learning into core features like photo organization, health tracking, and privacy-focused AI tools.
However, the company’s generative AI initiatives, including Apple Intelligence, launched with iOS 18, have faced criticism for lagging behind competitors like OpenAI and Google.
The announcement highlights delays in Siri’s promised upgrades, originally slated for 2025 but now targeted for spring 2026.
Executives acknowledged earlier this year that the enhanced assistant, which would add personal context, on-screen awareness, and deeper app integration, required more time.
Reports indicated internal frustrations, with some teams shifting to other leaders like Mike Rockwell for Vision Pro.
Apple has named Amar Subramanya, a veteran AI researcher who spent 16 years at Google leading Gemini engineering and recently served as corporate vice president of AI at Microsoft, as vice president of AI and machine learning.
Subramanya will report to software chief Craig Federighi and focus on foundational models, research, and AI safety. Other teams under Giannandrea, such as AI infrastructure and search, will realign under chief operating officer Sabih Khan and services head Eddy Cue.
Cook praised the transition in a statement: “We are thankful for the role John played in building and advancing our AI work… 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.”
Apple described the change as strengthening its AI commitments, with rumors suggesting the new Siri may incorporate a customized version of Google’s Gemini model for certain functions. Giannandrea will advise through his retirement.
The shift occurs as Apple navigates intense competition in generative AI, where Siri has struggled to match the conversational depth of rivals. Subramanya’s appointment signals a focus on productizing research, but delivering a competitive Siri remains critical to closing the gap.
