Apple AI Chief John Giannandrea Stepping Down, Top Microsoft Exec Hired as Replacement

John Giannandrea, Apple's Senior Vice President of Machine Learning and AI Strategy, is stepping down from his role. Apple announced today that the executive will transition to an advisory position before retiring in the spring of 2026. To fill the leadership gap, the company has hired Amar Subramanya as Vice President of AI, reporting directly to software engineering chief Craig Federighi.

Subramanya joins Apple from Microsoft, where he served as corporate vice president of AI. Prior to that, he spent 16 years at Google, most recently as head of engineering for the Gemini Assistant. He will lead critical divisions including Apple Foundation Models, machine learning research, and AI safety. This significant hire comes as Apple continues to navigate a competitive talent war for AI researchers against tech rivals.

The restructuring extends beyond the new hire. The balance of Giannandrea's organization will shift to Chief Operating Officer Sabih Khan and services chief Eddy Cue. This move aligns with recent reports of a broader reorganization involving expanded roles for Cue and Federighi ahead of Jeff Williams' planned retirement. Federighi had already assumed oversight of Siri earlier this year.


Giannandrea joined Apple in 2018 to overhaul its artificial intelligence strategy. His status at the company had been the subject of speculation recently, with reports from October suggesting his future was uncertain following delays to the Siri overhaul.

"We are thankful for the role John played in building and advancing our AI work, helping Apple continue to innovate and enrich the lives of our users," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO. "AI has long been central to Apple's strategy, and we are pleased to welcome Amar to Craig's leadership team and to bring his extraordinary AI expertise to Apple. In addition to growing his leadership team and AI responsibilities with Amar's joining, Craig has been instrumental in driving our AI efforts, including overseeing our work to bring a more personalized Siri to users next year."

The leadership change happens as Apple works to finalize its next-generation voice assistant. While initial AI features arrived with iOS 26, the company's most advanced Siri capabilities were delayed until 2026.

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