Apple has replaced John Giannandrea, the head of its AI efforts, with Mike Rockwell, who led the development of the Apple Vision Pro project. The move is aimed at reviving Apple’s flailing AI efforts and improving the performance of its virtual assistant, Siri.
The change comes after a year of slow progress on Siri’s product development, which has been marred by delays and internal embarrassment. Giannandrea was removed from his position due to concerns about his ability to execute on Siri’s product development. Rockwell will report directly to software chief Craig Federighi.
Apple’s AI efforts have faced significant challenges, including a lack of investment and progress. The company has been slow to release new features and has struggled with the rollout of its Apple Intelligence platform. The situation is so dire that Giannandrea acknowledged the delays were “ugly” during an internal meeting.
Rockwell brings experience in shipping complex products and managing large teams, which could help improve Siri’s performance. His background in AI development will also be beneficial in addressing some of the platform’s shortcomings. While Rockwell lacks Giannandrea’s expertise in AI-centric technologies, he has a proven track record in getting products to market.
Giannandrea will remain at Apple but will focus on other responsibilities, including research and development of AI-related technologies and robotics. The move is seen as a bold attempt by Apple to turn around its struggling AI efforts and improve the user experience of Siri.
Source: https://appleinsider.com/articles/25/03/20/john-giannandrea-out-as-siri-chief-apple-vision-pro-lead-in