Cupertino, Calif. – Apple is recalibrating its artificial intelligence strategy with the appointment of Amar Subramanya as its new Vice President of AI, a key hire signaling the tech giant’s renewed push to compete in a field currently led by Google and Amazon. The move comes as Apple, valued at over $4 trillion [[1]], navigates delays in updating its widely-used Siri voice assistant and seeks to accelerate progress of AI-powered features across its product line.Subramanya’s arrival coincides with the planned retirement of current AI head John Giannandrea, marking a meaningful leadership transition for the company.
Apple has appointed Amar Subramanya, a former Google executive, as its new Vice President of Artificial Intelligence, the company announced. The move signals Apple’s intensified efforts to compete in the rapidly evolving AI landscape, a sector currently dominated by rivals like Google and Amazon.
Subramanya most recently served as a Vice President of AI at Microsoft and played a key role in the development of Google’s Gemini AI application. His appointment comes as Apple works to accelerate its AI capabilities and catch up with competitors offering advanced AI-powered features.
The leadership change also includes the planned departure of John Giannandrea, Apple’s current head of AI, who rejoined the company from Google in 2018. Giannandrea will transition to the role of advisor and is expected to retire in Spring 2026.
Apple has faced challenges in delivering a major update to its voice assistant, Siri. A significant overhaul, initially slated for release in June 2024, has been delayed. According to Greg Joswiak, Apple’s marketing chief, internal testing revealed the updated version wasn’t reliable enough for public release.
The Siri update is now anticipated to launch in 2026. This delay underscores the complexities of developing robust AI systems and the competitive pressure Apple faces from companies like OpenAI, whose ChatGPT chatbot is already available for integration with Apple devices. The appointment of Subramanya is widely seen as a strategic move to bolster Apple’s AI development and regain momentum in the space.
