Apple Shifts Focus to AI with Key Executive Move, Siri Upgrades Planned

Apple is making significant changes to its AI team in an effort to improve Siri and its artificial intelligence capabilities.

Kim Vorrath, a veteran of 36 years at Apple, has been moved to the AI and machine learning division to serve as a “top deputy” to John Giannandrea, the company’s AI lead.

Vorrath previously helped launch the Vision Pro software, but her new role signals Apple’s shift toward prioritizing AI.

At last year’s WWDC, Apple showcased its AI and Apple Intelligence initiatives, but the company has been slow to roll out its features compared to competitors like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini.

One major upgrade to Siri, which will allow it to understand content on your screen and take action, may not be ready until iOS 18.4. Additionally, Apple is pausing its AI-powered news summaries due to criticism over their accuracy.

With Vorrath’s move, Apple aims to bring more focus and rigor to its AI efforts, including revamping Siri’s underlying infrastructure and improving its in-house AI models, as stated in an internal memo from Giannandrea. This shift indicates that Apple sees AI as a more critical part of its future than its Vision Pro.