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Previous reports indicated that John Giannandrea, the senior vice president Apple had originally recruited from Google, was replaced in the development of the new Siri due to a lack of substantive progress. Responsibility for Siri was reportedly transferred to Mike Rockwell, formerly head of Vision Pro. According to new insights obtained by The Information from former Apple employees, the “Apple Intelligence” features currently available on iPhone were in fact developed by the software engineering team led by Craig Federighi, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Software Engineering.
Notably, the enhanced Siri capabilities showcased at WWDC 2024 were never actually deployed or tested on iPhones prior to their public unveiling—an unusual move for Apple, which typically rigorously tests features before release. Reportedly, only the new Siri activation animation had been finalized at that time. This deviation from standard protocol underscores a growing sense of urgency within Apple to stay competitive in the fast-evolving landscape of artificial intelligence.
Apple has also, for the first time, authorized the use of third-party open-source large language models, stepping back from its prior insistence on developing its own in-house models. This strategic pivot has enabled the smoother rollout of several “Apple Intelligence” services.
According to former Apple insiders, Giannandrea’s conservative approach and Apple’s initial ambition to build its proprietary AI stack contributed to the company’s sluggish progress in AI development—leaving it trailing behind rivals making aggressive investments in the field. The recent partnership with OpenAI, which integrates ChatGPT into Apple’s ecosystem, marks a significant shift in strategy aimed at closing this competitive gap.
Going forward, Siri’s development will now be overseen by Mike Rockwell, who reports directly to Craig Federighi. Giannandrea will no longer be involved in Siri’s development but will continue to lead broader AI-related research and innovation within the company.
