Mike Rockwell, Apple's vice president of Siri engineering, continues to consider stepping down and could leave the company next year, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. His departure would be a major blow to Apple's AI efforts. If Rockwell leaves, responsibility for Siri would likely shift to Amar Subramanya, a Google veteran hired last year to strengthen Apple's AI capabilities, or Sebastien Marineau, a deputy to software chief Craig Federighi who integrates AI into iOS.
Marineau is viewed by some inside Apple as a possible successor to Federighi himself and is described as "more all-in on the AI revolution." Rockwell previously created the Vision Pro before being tasked with Siri's turnaround, following what Gurman calls an "embarrassing two-year delay." Reports of Rockwell considering an exit first surfaced in April. Despite speculation, a succession to Federighi remains a distant prospect; he maintains a firm grip on Apple's software engineering organization and has done little to prioritize succession planning. Federighi, who has led the organization for over a decade, has given no indication of exiting in the coming years.
Source: MacRumors · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing