Apple’s AI and Machine Learning chief John Giannandrea has departed, capping the company’s most extensive leadership transformation since Steve Jobs. The exodus raises questions about Apple’s ability to compete in AI.
By 2024, Apple’s leadership had lost confidence that Giannandrea’s group could turn AI research into practical features and products. The core problem: Giannandrea reportedly waffled on critical architectural decisions for Siri, specifically around how much AI processing should run on-device versus in the cloud.
Responsibilities Stripped Before Exit
Siri development moved to Craig Federighi’s software group
Robotics research removed from his division
Systematic reduction of scope before departure
The Broader Exodus
Executive
Role
Destination
John Giannandrea
AI/ML Chief
Departed
Mike Rockwell
Vision Products
Meta
Key ML Engineers
Foundation Models
OpenAI, Anthropic
The Srouji Risk
Most concerning: Johny Srouji — the architect of Apple’s entire custom silicon strategy — has reportedly told Tim Cook he is considering leaving. His departure would strike at the heart of Apple’s competitive advantage.
Smart glasses delayed because Siri isn’t ready for voice-first hardware
The Strategic Question
Apple’s $34.5B annual R&D investment has produced industry-leading silicon but no competitive AI models. The leadership exodus suggests internal recognition that the current approach isn’t working.
Gennaro is the creator of FourWeekMBA, which reached about four million business people, comprising C-level executives, investors, analysts, product managers, and aspiring digital entrepreneurs in 2022 alone | He is also Director of Sales for a high-tech scaleup in the AI Industry | In 2012, Gennaro earned an International MBA with emphasis on Corporate Finance and Business Strategy.
