According to TheRegister.com, Apple’s AI chief John Giannandrea is stepping down effective immediately after six years, being replaced by Amar Subramanya, a former Google and Microsoft AI executive. Subramanya, who only left Google for Microsoft four months ago, will now be Apple’s VP of AI, reporting directly to software engineering SVP Craig Federighi. Giannandrea will stay on as an advisor until his retirement next spring. The shakeup comes as Apple pushes back its major “Apple Intelligence” and Siri overhaul to 2026, a delay that has led to legal accusations the company lied about Siri’s AI capabilities. CEO Tim Cook stated the new team will focus on bringing “a more personalized Siri to users next year.”
Apple Admits It’s Behind
Here’s the thing: this isn’t just a routine retirement. It’s a pretty clear admission that Apple’s “wait and see” AI strategy has backfired. For years, the narrative was that Apple would let others rush in, make mistakes, and then swoop in with a polished, superior product. That mystique is gone. They announced big AI plans in 2024, they fizzled, and now the timeline is 2026. That’s an eternity in the AI race. So they’re swapping out the general. Analyst Marina Koytcheva nailed it on LinkedIn, saying this move means Apple knows it’s lost the current phase of the AI race and is now looking to poach talent from the leaders—Google and Microsoft—to play catch-up.
The New Sheriffs In Town
The new power structure is telling. Subramanya reports to Craig Federighi, Apple’s beloved software boss. Cook even said Federighi is taking on more responsibility for AI’s future. Meanwhile, Giannandrea’s old responsibilities for AI infrastructure and search got split off and handed to operations and services chiefs. That looks like a consolidation of AI’s core tech direction under Federighi’s product-focused team, while the “plumbing” gets managed elsewhere. It’s a vote of confidence in Federighi to execute, and it puts Subramanya, who helped build Google’s Gemini, right in the hot seat. Can he translate big-company AI research into the seamless, privacy-focused experience Apple users expect? That’s the billion-dollar question.
The Pressure Is Massive
And the pressure is just immense. Apple has incredible customer loyalty, but as Koytcheva pointed out, it’s not infinite. People are using ChatGPT, Copilot, and Gemini assistants today. If Siri still feels dumb in 2026, that loyalty will be tested. The court case about misleading statements on Siri’s capabilities shows the legal and reputational risks are already real. Basically, Subramanya and Federighi aren’t just building cool features; they’re trying to protect one of the world’s most valuable brands from being seen as permanently outdated. They have to deliver a Siri that isn’t just competitive, but feels magical and inherently Apple. If they can’t, the entire “Apple Intelligence” concept becomes a joke. No pressure, right?
