In a major leadership shakeup, Apple has appointed Mike Rockwell, the VP of the Vision Products Group behind the Vision Pro, to lead the Siri team. This move comes as Siri faces mounting criticism for struggling with basic queries, prompting Apple to reassess its AI strategy.
According to reports, Apple CEO Tim Cook has lost confidence in John Giannandrea, the company’s current AI head, in driving Siri’s development. As a result, Giannandrea will no longer oversee Siri, with Rockwell now reporting to software chief Craig Federighi. Meanwhile, Paul Meade, formerly responsible for Vision Pro hardware engineering, will take over Rockwell’s previous role in the Vision Products Group.
Siri has fallen behind modern AI advancements, forcing Apple to integrate third-party AI services like ChatGPT to bridge the gap. In recent user tests, Apple Intelligence-powered Siri struggled to answer basic questions, such as identifying the latest Super Bowl winner, raising concerns about its capabilities.
Apple has also delayed the rollout of its more personalized Siri features, originally slated for release this year. With Rockwell at the helm, Apple aims to revamp its AI efforts and bring Siri up to par with the latest advancements in artificial intelligence.
