Apple announced Amar Subramanya, an Indian-origin AI veteran from Microsoft and Google, as its new vice president of AI, reporting to senior vice president of software engineering Craig Federighi. Subramanya will oversee Apple foundation models, machine learning research, and AI safety and evaluation, succeeding John Giannandrea, who steps down to an adviser role before retiring in spring 2026. CEO Tim Cook praised Subramanya’s expertise in integrating AI research into products, crucial for upcoming Apple Intelligence features including a more personalized Siri next year.​

Subramanya brings extensive experience, having served as corporate vice president of AI at Microsoft since mid-2025 after 16 years at Google, where he led engineering for the Gemini assistant and contributed to DeepMind. Earlier roles included staff research scientist at Google and a brief stint at IBM. A Bengaluru University graduate in electrical and electronics engineering with a PhD from the University of Washington, his career highlights the fierce competition for AI talent among tech giants, with packages reportedly exceeding $10-100 million for top hires.​

Giannandrea’s tenure since 2018 shaped Apple’s machine learning strategy but faced criticism for lagging in generative AI compared to rivals like Samsung. Apple frames Subramanya’s appointment as strengthening its AI commitment, with parts of Giannandrea’s organization shifting to Sabih Khan and Eddy Cue for better alignment. The company emphasized compliant operations and innovation in AI infrastructure.​

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This leadership change occurs as Apple accelerates AI across hardware and software, integrating technologies like OpenAI’s ChatGPT while prioritizing privacy and on-device processing. Cook noted Federighi’s pivotal role in these efforts, signaling continued investment amid delays in features like the revamped Siri.​

Subramanya’s rapid move from Microsoft underscores the ongoing AI talent war, where firms poach experts to drive foundation models and product features. His low-ego, ambitious approach at Microsoft aligns with Apple’s focus on user-centric AI innovation.​

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