Apple Names Google, Microsoft Veteran Amar Subramanya as New AI Chief Amid Catch-Up Efforts

Apple has appointed Amar Subramanya, a seasoned artificial intelligence executive with extensive experience at Google and Microsoft, as its new Vice President of AI. As reported by TechCrunch, "> Apple just named a new AI chief with Google and Microsoft expertise, as John Giannandrea steps down." This significant leadership change sees current AI chief John Giannandrea transitioning to an advisory role before his retirement in spring 2026. The move comes as Apple faces increasing pressure to accelerate its AI development and integrate advanced features into its product ecosystem, a challenge highlighted by recent delays in its Apple Intelligence suite and Siri upgrades.

Subramanya brings nearly two decades of AI expertise, having spent 16 years at Google, where he led engineering for the Gemini Assistant, before a brief stint as Corporate Vice President of AI at Microsoft. At Apple, he will report directly to software chief Craig Federighi and will be responsible for critical areas including Apple Foundation Models, machine learning research, and AI safety and evaluation. This appointment underscores Apple's strategic intent to leverage his deep experience in both foundational AI research and practical product development.

The leadership transition occurs amidst widespread criticism that Apple has lagged behind rivals like Google, Microsoft, and Samsung in the rapidly evolving generative AI landscape. John Giannandrea, who joined Apple in 2018 from Google, was initially hailed as a coup to advance Apple's AI efforts, but the company's progress was reportedly leapfrogged by competitors like OpenAI's ChatGPT. Apple's "Apple Intelligence" suite, launched in 2024, and significant upgrades to its voice assistant Siri have faced delays, with the latter now pushed to 2026 due to internal quality concerns, further fueling investor and market scrutiny.

Industry observers view Subramanya's hiring as a pivotal move to revitalize Apple's AI strategy, aiming for deeper OS-level integration and faster innovation. Apple CEO Tim Cook stated, "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." Some functions previously under Giannandrea will also be redistributed to COO Sabih Khan and services chief Eddy Cue, signaling a more integrated approach to AI across the company. This strategic realignment highlights Apple's renewed commitment to regaining its competitive edge in the AI domain.