Apple Shakes Up AI Leadership, Moves Mike Rockwell to Lead Siri

Apple is making a rare leadership shake-up in its artificial intelligence division, aiming to rescue its AI efforts and improve its underperforming Siri assistant. According to sources familiar with the situation, CEO Tim Cook has lost confidence in AI chief John Giannandrea's ability to lead product development and has reassigned Mike Rockwell, the executive behind Vision Pro, to oversee Siri.

Rockwell will now report to software chief Craig Federighi, removing Siri entirely from Giannandrea’s command. Apple communicated the changes internally, as confirmed to employees on Thursday.

Key Details

• Leadership Shift: Mike Rockwell, previously head of the Vision Products Group (VPG), will lead Siri and related AI efforts. He brings a track record of shipping complex products like the Vision Pro headset.

• Reporting Structure: Siri leadership moves back under Federighi’s software engineering group, signaling a renewed focus on product execution.

• Internal Moves: Several of Rockwell’s trusted deputies, including Kim Vorrath and Aimee Nugent, have been quietly transitioned to the Siri group over recent months to assist with stabilization and oversight. Vorrath is known for her ability to bring structure and drive execution in troubled development programs, while Nugent has a reputation for successfully managing and turning around complex projects.

Why the Change?

Apple’s AI efforts have faced several delays, particularly with new Siri features announced alongside the iPhone 16. The company had advertised capabilities like deeper user data integration, but those features remain unreleased. Internal reports describe frustration within Siri’s team, with managers calling the delays “ugly.”

While Giannandrea, a former Google AI leader, unified Apple’s AI research and hired top talent, Siri's development has continued to lag rivals like Google Assistant and ChatGPT-powered assistants.

Rockwell’s Role & Experience

Rockwell led the development of the Vision Pro, known for technical innovation, though not yet a commercial success. His ability to bring complex hardware and software products to market is seen as key to overhauling Siri. He’s been critical of Siri’s performance internally and has long advocated for making the assistant more personalized.

In recent months, Rockwell has also worked closely with the AI team to integrate Apple Intelligence into the Vision Pro headset. These features are scheduled to launch in April as part of a visionOS software upgrade, further strengthening his involvement in Apple’s broader AI strategy.

Apple has also repositioned Vision Pro software teams under Federighi, while the hardware group remains under hardware chief John Ternus.

Broader AI Strategy

Internally, Apple has begun describing products like Vision Pro as “AI products,” indicating a desire to embed AI more deeply into its devices. This shift may extend to future products like AirPods with outward-facing cameras, feeding data to AI systems.

Giannandrea will stay at Apple, continuing to oversee AI research and robotics projects, but without direct oversight of Siri.

What This Means

Apple’s leadership shuffle signals how seriously it views its lagging position in the AI race. By bringing in Mike Rockwell, known for successfully leading large, complex projects, Apple is making a decisive move to address Siri’s stagnation and better compete with AI leaders like Google, Amazon, and OpenAI.

For developers and users, this may lead to a more functional and personalized Siri, more tightly integrated into Apple’s device ecosystem. It also suggests Apple plans to embed AI more deeply into its hardware roadmap—potentially opening new avenues for AI-powered experiences on devices like the Vision Pro, iPhone, and future AirPods.

The move reflects growing pressure on Apple to deliver meaningful AI improvements amid a rapidly advancing competitive landscape. Success may depend on how quickly Rockwell can turn things around without alienating Apple’s carefully guarded privacy and user experience principles.

Editor’s Note: This article was created by Alicia Shapiro, CMO of AiNews.com, with writing, image, and idea-generation support from ChatGPT, an AI assistant. However, the final perspective and editorial choices are solely Alicia Shapiro’s. Special thanks to ChatGPT for assistance with research and editorial support in crafting this article.