key points
- The head of Apple’s AI team, John Giannandrea, is set to retire in early 2026
- Apple is facing criticism for lagging behind competitors in AI technology
- The tech company has brought in an experienced engineer from Google and Microsoft
Apple announced on Monday that its head of artificial intelligence, John Giannandrea, is stepping down.
Giannandrea, who led machine learning and AI strategy for seven years, will retire in the spring of 2026, Apple said in a statement. Giannandrea will serve as an advisor during his remaining time with the technology company.
The company said he will be replaced by Amar Subramaniam, who has joined Apple as vice president of AI.
Subramaniam was recently corporate vice president of AI at Microsoft for a short time.
Before that, he spent 16 years at Google where he was head of engineering for the Gemini digital assistant.
Apple criticized for failing to keep pace with rivals in AI development
Apple has faced criticism that it is lagging behind competitors in developing AI-powered features for its devices, including its popular iPhones.
Earlier this year, Apple also delayed the release of the more versatile Siri digital assistant until 2026.
Meanwhile, Google, Microsoft, OpenAI and other tech rivals are constantly releasing better AI models and features in a race to lead the technology.
Edited by: Roshni Majumdar