In April 2025, Apple announced a major restructuring of its artificial intelligence division, marking a significant shift in its long-term technology strategy. As part of this realignment, Apple has moved its secretive robotics division out of the AI leadership team and placed it under the authority of the hardware engineering group. This division, which had been developing advanced home robots and personal assistant devices, is now overseen by John Ternus, Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering.
Previously, Apple’s AI efforts, including the robotics projects and Siri, were managed by John Giannandrea, who joined the company in 2018 after a prominent career at Google. With the new changes, Giannandrea will now focus more narrowly on core artificial intelligence and machine learning initiatives, signaling Apple’s renewed commitment to building deeper expertise in AI fundamentals. Siri, Apple’s digital assistant, has also been reassigned to Mike Rockwell, who heads the Vision Products Group, the same team responsible for innovations like the Vision Pro headset.
This restructuring highlights Apple’s intent to better integrate AI technologies directly into its hardware products rather than treating them as separate research areas. By moving the robotics team closer to the hardware division, Apple aims to accelerate the development of physical AI-powered devices that could eventually expand its product lineup beyond iPhones, Macs, and wearables. Analysts suggest that this could lead to breakthroughs in smart home technology or even consumer robots designed to assist users in daily life.
The move comes at a time when artificial intelligence is reshaping the entire tech industry. Competitors like Google, Microsoft, and Amazon are rapidly enhancing their AI capabilities, and Apple’s strategic shift ensures it stays competitive in this fast-changing environment. Moreover, as AI becomes increasingly essential to user experience, embedding it deeper into hardware could offer Apple a unique edge over rivals who separate software and hardware innovation.
Apple’s restructuring of its AI division marks a bold step toward future technologies, with potential impacts not just on Siri’s evolution but also on entirely new categories of AI-driven products. Observers expect that these changes will become visible in upcoming product announcements over the next few years.
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