Apple names Bangalore University alumnus Amar Subramanya new AI chief

In a major leadership shake-up aimed at accelerating its artificial intelligence (AI) ambitions, Apple has appointed veteran Google and Microsoft engineer Amar Subramanya as its new head of AI, replacing John Giannandrea who will retire next year.

The move comes amid mounting criticism that Apple has been slow to match rapid AI developments by its rivals, especially in generative models and intelligent assistants. Subramanya, a widely respected figure in the field, joins Apple as vice-president of AI and will report directly to Craig Federighi, the company’s senior vice-president of Software Engineering, a statement by Apple said.

Subramanya will helm several critical pillars of its next-generation AI strategy, including Apple Foundation Models, machine learning research, and AI safety and evaluation, according to the company statement.

Giannandrea, who joined Apple from Google in 2018, had played a crucial role in building the company’s machine learning organisation and deploying foundational AI systems across search, knowledge, and infrastructure. While he steps down from day-to-day responsibilities, he will continue as advisor until his retirement in spring 2026, the company said. Parts of his organisation will now be redistributed to operations chief Sabih Khan and services chief Eddy Cue to “align closer with similar organisations,” the company added.

Subramanya is an alumnus of Bangalore University where he did his Bachelors in Engineering (BE) and the University of Washington where he did his PhD.

Before a recent stint as corporate vice-president of AI at Microsoft, Subramanya had spent 16 years at Google, serving most notably as head of engineering for the Gemini Assistant, Google’s flagship AI-driven conversational system, the statement noted, emphasising that his expertise in bridging cutting-edge research with real-world products will be vital as the company works to deliver more personalised, context-aware intelligence across its devices.

Apple CEO Tim Cook paid tribute to Giannandrea’s contributions, saying his work had “helped Apple continue to innovate and enrich the lives of our users”. Welcoming Subramanya, Cook added: “AI has long been central to Apple’s strategy… Amar brings extraordinary expertise that will sharpen our innovation and strengthen future Apple Intelligence features.”

The leadership transition comes as Apple prepares a significant upgrade to Siri next year, promising a more intuitive assistant powered by advanced on-device and cloud-based models.