Apple AI Chief John Giannandrea Leaves After Turbulent Tenure

Apple AI chief John Giannandrea is slated to exit the company this week as his final stock vesting date ↓ Apr 15 approaches.

Apple AI chief John Giannandrea exit timeline

Mark Gurman’s “Power On” newsletter describes the departure as long‑in‑the‑making; Apple curtailed his authority in March 2025 after the underwhelming launch of Apple Intelligence and repeated delays to the Siri revamp.

“The top of Apple runs like a tight‑knit family business; if you’re not in the inner circle, you lack the power to drive change,” Gurman wrote.

Since the end‑of‑year announcement that Giannandrea would retire in 2026, he has remained on payroll in an advisory “rest‑and‑vest” capacity, essentially collecting compensation until his grants mature.

His portfolio—spanning foundation models, AI testing, and cross‑functional initiatives—has now been parceled out to software chief Craig Federighi, services head Eddy Cue and operating chief Sabih Khan.

Giannandrea arrived from Google in 2018, and insiders expect him to pursue board seats and startup advisory roles rather than join another tech giant.

Analysts at Reuters note that Apple’s AI setbacks echo broader strategic debates, including the recent nuclear developments affecting global tech supply chains.