9 months ago
Apple Names Amar Subramanya as New AI Chief
Apple has a new leader for its artificial intelligence team.
His name is Amar Subramanya, and he used to work at Microsoft and Google.
He will be in charge of important AI projects, like making Siri smarter.
The person he is replacing, John Giannandrea, will help out until he retires next year.
Apple is trying to catch up with other tech companies in AI, but they have some delays, like making Siri better, which won't happen until 2026.
Amar will report to Craig Federighi, who is in charge of software at Apple.
Apple is spending more on AI and has a deal with OpenAI to use ChatGPT in their products.
Apple introduced its main AI package, Apple Intelligence, in June 2024, but updates to its products have been slower than those from competitors like Google.
Apple has added small improvements, such as real-time language translation in the latest AirPods, a feature Google offered years earlier, and a fitness app that uses an AI-generated voice during workouts, but bigger upgrades are still on the way.
Apple appoints Amar Subramanya as Vice President of AI, replacing John Giannandrea.
Subramanya previously worked at Microsoft and Google, leading AI research and engineering.
John Giannandrea will serve as an advisor until his retirement in spring 2025.
Subramanya will oversee foundation models, AI research, and AI safety, reporting to Craig Federighi.
Apple faces criticism for lagging behind competitors in AI development and has delayed Siri upgrades until 2026.
- Who
- Amar Subramanya, former Microsoft and Google executive
- What
- Appointed as Apple's new Vice President of AI
- Where
- Apple Inc.
- When
- Effective immediately, with John Giannandrea advising until spring 2025
- Why
- To replace retiring AI chief John Giannandrea and address AI development challenges
Apple's AI Progress
Competitors' AI Advancements
AI Development Pace
Apple's AI Progress
Apple is making progress with AI, introducing Apple Intelligence in June 2024 and adding features like real-time language translation in AirPods and an AI-generated voice in the fitness app.
Competitors' AI Advancements
Competitors like Google have been faster in implementing AI features, such as real-time language translation, which they offered years earlier.
Siri Upgrades
Apple's AI Progress
Apple is working on a major AI-driven redesign of Siri, which is anticipated but has been delayed several times.
Competitors' AI Advancements
Competitors have already implemented advanced AI features in their voice assistants, leaving Apple behind in this area.
Key facts
- New AI Chief
- Amar Subramanya
- Previous Role
- Corporate Vice President of AI at Microsoft
- Previous Employers
- Google, Microsoft
- Replaced Executive
- John Giannandrea
- Reporting Structure
- Reports to Craig Federighi
- Responsibilities
- Foundation models, AI research, AI safety
- Retiring Executive
- John Giannandrea (Spring 2025)
- Siri Upgrade Delay
- Delayed until 2026
- Apple Intelligence Launch
- June 2024
- John Giannandrea's Tenure
- Seven years
Timeline
Meta lured Apple's Mark Lee, Tom Gunter with lucrative AI offers.
Then, Apple's AI execs, like Jian Zhang, jumped ship for high salaries elsewhere.
Zhang's exit left a gap in Apple's AI leadership.
In response, Apple named Amar Subramanya as new AI chief.
Subramanya joins from Microsoft, Google, succeeding John Giannandrea.
Quotes
Tim Cook
Chief Executive Officer of Apple
“AI has long been central to Apple’s strategy, and we are pleased to welcome Amar to Craig’s leadership team and to bring his extraordinary AI expertise to Apple.”
deccanchronicle.com
Sources
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Who is Amar Subramanya? Apple taps ex- Microsoft & Google AI executive to replace retiring chief John Giannandrea
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