Apple is handing the keys to its all-important AI strategy to Amar Subramanya, a veteran of both Google and Microsoft, in one of the company’s most consequential leadership changes since it launched Apple Intelligence last year. The longtime researcher has been appointed vice president of AI, succeeding John Giannandrea, who will step down from his role and retire in spring 2026 after serving as Apple’s AI chief since 2018.
In a company announcement, Apple said Subramanya will report to software chief Craig Federighi and take charge of “Apple Foundation Models, ML research, and AI Safety and Evaluation,” placing him at the center of the tech underpinning future AI features across the iPhone, Mac, iPad, and Apple’s various services. Responsibilities previously overseen by Giannandrea will be redistributed under COO Sabih Khan and Eddy Cue, who runs Apple’s services division.
