Key points

• The head of Apple's AI team, John Giannandrea, is to retire in early 2026
• Apple faces criticism for lagging behind competitors in AI technology
• The tech company has brought in a veteran engineer from Google and Microsoft

Apple announced on Monday that its head of artificial intelligence, John Giannandrea, is stepping down.

Giannandrea, who led Machine Learning and AI Strategy for seven years, will retire in spring 2026, Apple said in a statement. Giannandrea will serve as an advisor during his remaining time with the technology company.

He will be replaced by Amar Subramanya, who has joined Apple as a vice president of AI, the company said.

Subramanya was most recently a corporate vice president of AI at Microsoft for a short stint.

Before that, he spent 16 years at Google where he was head of engineering for the Gemini digital assistant.

Apple criticized for failing to keep pace with rivals in developing AI

Apple has faced criticism that it lags behind competitors in developing AI-driven features for its devices, including for its popular iPhones.

Earlier this year, Apple also delayed the release of a more versatile Siri digital assistant until 2026.

Meanwhile, Google, Microsoft, OpenAI and other tech rivals have been releasing ever-improved AI models and features in a fierce race to lead in the technology.

Edited by: Roshni Majumdar