Apple Taps Former Microsoft AI Leader Subramanya as Giannandrea Prepares to Retire
John Giannandrea steps down as Apple's AI chief and will retire in spring 2026, with former Microsoft executive Amar Subramanya taking over key artificial intelligence responsibilities.
Apple announces that John Giannandrea, senior vice president for Machine Learning and AI Strategy, steps down from his role and plans to retire in the spring of 2026. Before his official retirement, Giannandrea serves as an advisor to the company. Since joining Apple in 2018, he plays a key role in building the company's AI strategy and developing critical technologies like Apple Foundation Models and AI Infrastructure.
Amar Subramanya joins Apple as the new vice president of AI, reporting to senior vice president Craig Federighi. Subramanya brings extensive experience from his recent role as corporate vice president of AI at Microsoft and his 16-year tenure at Google, where he leads engineering for the Gemini Assistant. He now oversees Apple Foundation Models, machine learning research, and AI Safety and Evaluation.
The remaining parts of Giannandrea's organization shift to Sabih Khan and Eddy Cue to align with similar teams across the company. CEO Tim Cook expresses gratitude for Giannandrea's contributions and highlights Federighi's expanded oversight, which includes driving a more personalized Siri next year. These leadership changes aim to accelerate Apple's delivery of intelligent and personal Apple Intelligence features.