Apple Hit by 'Talent War' as a Dozen AI Researchers Join Rivals [Report]

A new report from the Financial Times details a series of recent departures from Apple's artificial intelligence division, with about a dozen top researchers and engineers leaving for rivals including Meta, OpenAI, xAI, and Cohere. The talent drain comes as the company works to overcome recent setbacks and reassert its position in the competitive AI landscape.

The report highlights several high-profile exits since the start of the year. This includes Ruoming Pang, who headed Apple's foundational models team, and recently departed for Meta with a deal said to be worth over $200 million. Other senior members of that team, including Mark Lee and Tom Gunter, have also moved to Meta. The departures add to the narrative of an 'AI crisis' at Apple, with one AI recruiting director telling the Financial Times the move "sends a signal of a crisis of confidence" and that "it's open season" on Apple's talent.

These moves come as Apple navigates a challenging period for its AI development. The company has been forced to delay a major Siri overhaul until at least 2026, a setback that prompted a significant leadership shake-up. Vision Pro creator Mike Rockwell and software chief Craig Federighi have since taken charge of Siri's engineering, a responsibility previously held by AI chief John Giannandrea.


The report also references a recent all-hands meeting where CEO Tim Cook rallied employees, pledging to invest more in AI research and stressing the need for the company to "win" in the field. A former Apple executive told the Financial Times that Cook's move was a recognition that "the narrative has gotten away from him."

While Apple has a reputation for not rushing new technologies to market, the report notes that the blistering pace of AI development has put the company under pressure. Wamsi Mohan, an analyst at Bank of America, told the outlet that Apple's slower approach risks leaving it "far behind in user expectations." The Financial Times also reports that Apple's core foundation models team is relatively small, with around 50 to 60 people, making the departure of about a dozen members particularly significant.

The hiring frenzy is part of a broader industry trend, with one recruiting executive telling the Financial Times that companies now view elite AI talent as "strategic assets — on par with intellectual property or even entire business units."

Apple and Meta declined to comment for the report, while OpenAI and Cohere did not respond to requests for comment.