Apple’s AI strategy may be heading toward a leadership shake-up, as whispers grow around the potential departure of John Giannandrea, the company’s senior VP of Machine Learning and AI. Notably absent from Apple’s 2024 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), Giannandrea’s omission is fueling speculation that his days in Cupertino are numbered.
According to tech journalist Mark Gurman in his latest Power On newsletter, the absence wasn’t accidental. 
Sources suggest Giannandrea has long felt out of step with Apple’s internal culture. Despite his impressive credentials from his previous role at Google as Chief of Search and AI, he’s struggled to fully integrate into Apple’s tight-knit leadership circle. His vision for AI often clashed with other executives, and the recent demotion following Apple Intelligence’s sluggish progress didn’t help his case.
In contrast to last year’s WWDC, where Giannandrea appeared and participated in discussions about AI, this year’s event took a noticeably different tone. Apple avoided putting its AI missteps front and center, choosing instead to spotlight visual upgrades like the Liquid Glass redesign in iOS 26.
Apple’s AI showcase, especially the revamped Siri assistant, remains unfinished and far from ready for public release. Craig Federighi, Apple’s software chief, briefly acknowledged the delay, stating the AI tech “needs a bit more polish.” This strategic shift in focus may be part of a broader effort to manage expectations while Apple regroups behind the scenes.
Gurman hints that Apple’s confidence in Giannandrea may be waning, and his conspicuous absence may be a soft transition out. Despite his contributions, Giannandrea has reportedly never truly felt like he belonged at Apple – a sentiment that could soon be formalized by his departure.
Interestingly, even Federighi had underestimated AI’s potential until experimenting with OpenAI’s ChatGPT, which reportedly changed his perspective. Now, with AI clearly positioned as a battleground for tech supremacy, Apple seems to be tightening its grip on the direction of its future developments – possibly without Giannandrea in the driver’s seat.
Should he exit Apple, it’s almost certain that another major player in the tech industry would be eager to bring him onboard, given his rich background and expertise in artificial intelligence.