The output of John giannandrea Apple's acquisition is being carried out discreetly, but it represents a significant move in the company's artificial intelligence strategy. The executive, recruited from Google in 2018 to lead in this area, He will definitively leave his post on April 15th., the date on which the last package of shares he had pending expires.
Despite the importance of the position he held, his departure has occurred without major announcements or public messages Apple's move has drawn attention throughout the tech industry. At a time when global competition for smart assistants has intensified, the change at the top of its AI division in Cupertino comes just as the company is trying to... give Siri a twist and to its Apple Intelligence platform.
From star signing to the end of the cycle in Apple's AI
When Apple brought Giannandrea on board in 2018, Siri was already facing criticism for its Lack of agility and limitations compared to Google Assistant and AlexaThe objective was clear: to strengthen internal machine learning capabilities and redesign the assistant so that it could be on par with its rivals.
Giannandrea arrived backed by eight years of experience at Googlewhere he had played a key role in the search strategy and the early stages of the company's modern AI. At Apple, his rise was rapid: he became senior vice president, reporting directly to Tim Cook and overseeing the main machine learning initiatives.
Cook went so far as to publicly highlight his “Passion for privacy” and its prudent approach When it comes to creating smarter, more personalized technology, this message aligns with Apple's image regarding data protection. For a while, the strategy seemed clear: a powerful, centralized artificial intelligence division, with a single leader to accelerate development.
However, as the years went by it became clear that The goals set for Siri and Apple Intelligence were not being met within the planned timeframes.The expectations placed on the executive clashed with the difficulty of deploying on a large scale the capabilities that were taught in internal demonstrations.
Siri delays, promising demos, and a talent drain
The main showcase of Apple's commitment to AI was Apple Intelligence, presented at WWDC 2024There, a new generation of Siri was announced, designed to better understand the user's personal context and to execute more complex actions directly on the device. More details about this approach can be found at [link to Siri announcement]. Apple Intelligence coverage.
The reality was less bright: Key features associated with the new Siri suffered delays And they didn't arrive on the initially promised date. What was shown in internal demos worked reasonably well on a small scale, but it didn't quite translate into a robust experience for millions of users; this was reported in coverage of updates.
During that period, production began. departures of engineers and area managers from the AI team towards companies like Meta and other technologies focused on artificial intelligence. This brain drain contributed to increased internal pressure to restructure the project.
The turning point came in March 2025, when, according to internal leaks, Tim Cook Giannandrea was stripped of direct control over Siri's developmentThe operational responsibility for the assistant was passed to Mike Rockwell, known for his work leading Vision Pro, who began reporting to Craig Federighi, the top software manager.
At the same time, a broader change began to take shape: Apple's management was losing confidence that the model of a single large, centralized AI division was the best formula to make the leap the company needed in this area.
Power sharing and new AI architecture at Apple
Giannandrea's phased departure didn't happen overnight. In December 2025, Apple formally announced internally that He would then only perform advisory functions.with a much more limited role, as the consolidation date of its latest shares approached.
At the same time, the company opted to dismantle the large unified artificial intelligence division and distribute its key functions among several executives. Some were integrated directly into the software structure, others into operations, and still others into services; the debate about alternatives is ongoing. allow replace Siri.
In this new scheme, Craig Federighi It retained overall control over the integration of AI into operating systems, in line with the idea that these technologies should cease to be an "add-on" and become part of the system's core. This technical push is explained in the analysis on AppleLLM.
By your side, Sabih Khan, Chief Operating Officer, assumed oversight of the areas related to the implementation and scaling of these technologies in the supply chain and hardware. The relationship with hardware and devices It is key to that deployment phase.
The change reflects a commitment to a more distributed AI, closer to the real product, instead of an isolated laboratory, and fits with the competitive pressure Apple faces in a market where Google, Microsoft and other European players are moving very quickly.
The arrival of Amar Subramanya and the new technical direction
To fill the technical gap left by Giannandrea, Apple hired Amar Subramanyaanother veteran of the Google ecosystem. Subramanya spent 16 years at the company, where he rose to lead the engineering of the Gemini assistant, and later held a position as corporate vice president of AI at Microsoft.
At Apple, Subramanya has taken over responsibility for foundational models, machine learning research, and AI securityThat is, the core technology upon which the next generations of Siri and Apple Intelligence will be built. Part of that plan is related to Gemini integration into Siri.
Unlike his predecessor, Subramanya does not report directly to Tim Cook, but to Craig FederighiThis organizational nuance is important because it consolidates all AI work under the software division and reinforces the idea that artificial intelligence will be treated as just another dimension of the operating system.
This shift comes as Apple It intensifies its collaboration with Google to use models like Gemini.According to published estimates, the deal could be worth several billion dollars annually, a figure that illustrates the importance that AI will have in the company's future strategy.
For European users, this context implies that upcoming versions of iOS, including those we will see from iOS 27 onwards, could incorporate More advanced assistants, with greater understanding of context and better integration with apps and servicesalways under the regulatory framework for privacy and data protection that governs in the European Union; the regulatory situation has been reflected in articles such as the investigation in France.
A silent goodbye and a new professional life
The date of April 15, marked by the completion of the final block of shares, symbolizes the end of Giannandrea's time at Apple. In Silicon Valley jargon, this process is known as “resting and vesting”: remain on the payroll for the time necessary for the compensation packages to mature before taking the final step of leaving.
Since December, the former head of AI was already officially listed as adviserWith very little public exposure and no direct involvement in daily decision-making regarding Siri or Apple Intelligence, the calendar had practically become his true boss.
Far from preparing an immediate move to a direct competitor, available information suggests that Giannandrea is planning to dedicate oneself to boards of directors and startup consultingIt is a common move among high-level executives in Silicon Valley who prefer a second professional stage with less operational pressure.
His departure not only marks the end of a contract, but also the closing of Apple's first major phase in its attempt to build its own modern AI strategyThis is a phase in which the company has learned, through delays and restructuring, that competing at the highest level in artificial intelligence requires a delicate combination of internal talent, external hires, and strategic alliances. Expectations remain high in media outlets such as [insert outlet name here] regarding when a significant update will arrive.
As the industry looks ahead to the next WWDC, Apple faces a period in which Expectations surrounding Siri and Apple Intelligence are once again in the spotlight.With Giannandrea now out of the picture, the success or failure of this new phase will now rest on Craig Federighi, Amar Subramanya, and the rest of the team tasked with defining the future of AI at the company.
With this change of protagonists, Apple closes a chapter marked by great promises, delays, and a profound reorganization of its internal structure, to open another in which much of its relevance in the field of artificial intelligence is at stake, and, incidentally, the trust of European users who are finally waiting for a Siri that lives up to what the brand has been announcing for years.