AI core talent continues to leave, with Apple losing four more researchers and a Siri executive.

Media reports say that Apple has lost at least four more Chinese AI researchers in recent weeks, following the departure of a senior executive responsible for Siri. These former employees have joined competitors including Meta and Google DeepMind.

According to reports, the latest departures include Yinfei Yang, Haoxuan You, Bailin Wang, and Zirui Wang. Sources told the media that Yinfei Yang has left to start a new company, while Haoxuan You and Bailin Wang have joined Meta. Sources say Haoxuan You has joined Meta's "Superintelligence" research department, while Bailin Wang is working on Meta's recommendation system.

Analysts believe these personnel changes highlight ongoing turbulence in Apple’s AI department. Apple has found it difficult to keep pace with peers in the AI race, and the company’s decision to outsource some technology to Google has also sparked internal dissatisfaction. In recent months, Apple has experienced a wave of talent loss, especially concentrated in the AI team.

Among them, media reports say Zirui Wang will join Google DeepMind. That team is currently assisting Apple in building core AI models to drive new features, including underlying technology for the upgraded Siri voice assistant coming this year.

Additionally, another previously unreported departure is Apple executive Stuart Bowers, who has also moved to Google DeepMind. He was one of the top executives in charge of Siri at Apple.

Before joining the Siri team, Bowers was one of the core leaders of Apple’s self-driving car project, which ultimately ended in failure. He then turned to driving reforms in the Siri business. Last year, his role further expanded to focus on improving Siri’s ability to judge how to respond to users’ questions. In this position, he reported to the new Siri head, Mike Rockwell.

Ongoing Turbulence in the AI Team

Media reports say the challenges Apple faces in AI have become a major reason for the decline in its stock price this year—even though the company continues to post record sales. On Thursday, Apple released a strong earnings report, with iPhone sales exceeding $85 billion. However, the lack of attractive AI breakthroughs and the ongoing loss of top talent remain major concerns hanging over the company, making efforts to turn things around even more complicated.

This talent drain occurred after Apple carried out a major restructuring of its AI business last year. CEO Tim Cook removed John Giannandrea, who had long been in charge of AI, handing the responsibility to software chief Craig Federighi. Apple also hired former Google and Microsoft AI executive Amar Subramanya to manage part of the AI organization.

The recently departed employees mostly come from Apple’s Foundation Models team (AFM), which develops the core technology behind the Apple Intelligence platform. Due to multiple delays with the new Siri, and lukewarm reactions to existing AI features, this team is under increasingly strict scrutiny. Last summer, the former AFM team director, Ruoming Pang, joined Meta. The team is now managed by AI researcher Zhifeng Chen.

As of the end of last year, the AFM team was still overseen by former Google executive Daphne Luong. She and Giannandrea have both been sidelined, with Luong still at Apple and reporting to Giannandrea, but no longer holding specific management responsibilities. Now, Zhifeng Chen and Apple’s AI research and testing teams both report to Subramanya.

All New AI Versions Developed by Google

Apple is preparing two new versions of Siri. One is an updated version to be launched in the short term, able to access users’ personal data to answer questions. The other is a more extensive upgrade planned for later this year, centered around a chatbot-like interactive interface.

Both versions will run on a brand-new architecture, with the related models developed by Google’s team. In just the past six months, Apple has lost more than ten AI researchers, with a significant portion leaving because of the company’s decision to outsource some technology.

On Thursday’s conference call, when analysts asked why Apple chose to use Google’s technology, Cook said Google could provide Apple’s AI models with “the most capable foundation.”

He said on the analyst call following the earnings release:

"We believe that through this collaboration, we can unlock a slew of new experiences and achieve innovation in key areas."

Currently, Apple still uses its own models for Apple Intelligence features on its devices. Analysts believe that given the fierce AI competition and the need to create differentiated experiences, Apple is unlikely to depend on external partners in the long term.

Risk Disclaimer and Exemption ClauseThe market has risks, and investment should be cautious. This article does not constitute personal investment advice, nor does it take into account individual users’ specific investment objectives, financial status, or needs. Users should consider whether any opinions, views, or conclusions in this article are suitable for their particular situation. Investing based on this is at your own risk.