Apple has reportedly changed its Siri team following multiple setbacks in its Apple Intelligence project. According to Bloomberg, Vision Pro chief Mike Rockwell has stepped in to lead Siri after Apple CEO Tim Cook lost confidence in AI head John Giannandrea’s ability to oversee product development effectively.
Apple hired Giannandrea in 2018 to lead its machine learning and AI strategy. While he remains with the company and oversees AI research and development, Rockwell has now taken on a more direct role in managing Siri’s future.
The long-planned shift follows Siri’s delays
The decision to reorganise the team was reportedly in motion long before Apple officially delayed its planned Siri updates. The Bloomberg report suggests that Giannandrea had long considered Rockwell a possible successor. However, reviving Siri’s reputation and capabilities will be a significant challenge for Rockwell.
Since its launch in 2011, Siri has faced ongoing struggles. Over the years, the team has undergone several leadership changes, yet Apple’s voice assistant has failed to match or surpass its competition. While other AI-powered tools have made significant progress, Siri has been criticised for its lack of advancement.
History of leadership changes and ongoing challenges
The leadership reshuffle is the latest in a series of transitions within Apple’s Siri team. Dag Kittlaus, Siri’s co-founder, left Apple in 2011, shortly after the assistant’s debut. In 2012, Bill Stasior was brought in to lead Siri but stepped down after seven years as part of Giannandrea’s AI strategy overhaul. With Rockwell taking charge, Apple is again looking for a way to strengthen its AI-powered assistant.
Despite these efforts, users continue to report frustration with Siri’s performance. A recent Reddit post highlighted how Siri struggles with basic questions, such as identifying the current month. Meanwhile, AI-powered tools like ChatGPT have evolved significantly, offering human-like conversations, writing assistance, mathematical problem-solving, and resume drafting.
With competition in the AI space intensifying, Rockwell will face high expectations to turn things around for Siri and restore confidence in Apple’s AI capabilities.
