title.Apple appoints former Microsoft and Google executive as new AI chief succeeding retiring leader

Apple announced Monday that its long‑time head of artificial intelligence is leaving the company, marking the most visible reshuffle of the iPhone maker’s AI organization since the launch of the Apple Intelligence suite in 2024.

John Giannandrea, who joined Apple in 2018 and most recently held the title of senior vice president of AI, will step down later this year. He will remain an advisor through next spring before formally retiring.

Giannandrea is being succeeded by Amar Subramanya, a veteran AI researcher who most recently worked at Microsoft and previously contributed to Google’s DeepMind unit. Subramanya will assume the role of vice president of AI and will report to senior software executive Craig Federighi.

Apple’s leadership emphasized that Federighi has already been a driving force behind the company’s AI initiatives. “In addition to expanding his leadership team with Amar’s arrival, Craig has been instrumental in shaping our AI strategy, including the work to deliver a more personalized Siri experience next year,” Apple CEO Tim Cook said in a statement.

Under Subramanya’s oversight, teams focused on Apple’s foundation models, research, and AI safety will be consolidated. Other groups that previously reported to Giannandrea will now fall under COO Sabih Khan and services chief Eddy Cue.

The leadership change comes at a time when analysts and industry observers have raised concerns that Apple is lagging behind rivals such as OpenAI, Microsoft, Google, and Meta in the fast‑moving AI landscape. While Apple’s stock is up roughly 16 % so far in 2025, it has underperformed many peers that are investing heavily in AI‑focused data centers, specialized chips, and large‑scale models.

Apple has publicly disclosed a significant increase in its AI capital spending and has described generative AI as a “profound” technology that will reshape its ecosystem. The company recently struck a partnership with OpenAI to embed ChatGPT‑style capabilities into select Apple products, including Siri. However, Apple’s approach differs fundamentally from that of its competitors: it emphasizes on‑device processing to protect user privacy and reduce reliance on cloud infrastructure, rather than building massive AI data centers.

In a related development, legendary hardware designer Jony Ive sold his AI‑focused startup, io, to OpenAI for $6.4 billion. The acquisition is expected to accelerate OpenAI’s hardware efforts, with early prototypes already completed and a potential public reveal within the next two years, according to OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.

From a strategic perspective, Apple’s extensive customer loyalty—built since the iPhone’s debut in 2007—provides a powerful moat for rolling out AI‑enhanced services. Yet, the firm now faces a crucial inflection point: it must translate that loyalty into tangible AI advantages without sacrificing the privacy‑first ethos that has defined its brand.

Analysts note that Apple’s tighter control over the AI stack—favoring custom silicon such as the M-series chips—could allow it to deliver differentiated experiences that rival cloud‑centric solutions. However, the company will need to accelerate model development, improve Siri’s capabilities, and demonstrate clear value to developers and end‑users to close the perception gap with industry leaders.

Overall, the appointment of Subramanya signals a renewed focus on integrating cutting‑edge AI research with Apple’s hardware and software ecosystem. The next 12‑18 months will be pivotal in determining whether Apple can catch up to, or even overtake, its competitors in the generative AI race.