Bloomberg Amid recent leadership changes at Apple, Mike Rockwell, who created Vision Pro and now oversees efforts to update Siri, is considering leaving or reducing his role at the company. Here are the details.
Mike Rockwell ‘very hard’ to go before unveiling updated Siri
New report On the talent retention issues John Ternus will face as Apple’s next CEO, Bloomberg says that Mike Rockwell, who is currently leading efforts to overhaul Siri, recently weighed his options at the company.
Rockwell task was given Tim Cook is revamping the upcoming AI-powered Siri as part of a wider reshuffle after losing faith in the company’s AI efforts former AI chief John Giannandrea.
At the time, the move was motivated by the belief that Rockwell might have difficult results given the technological hurdles Apple had to overcome to bring the Vision Pro to market.
Still, Apple’s overall AI efforts are overseen by the company’s software chief, Craig Federighi, and Bloomberg now reports that Rockwell has reservations about reporting to him.
From report:
Mike Rockwell (…) is considering leaving or moving on from his advisory role next year, according to people with knowledge of the matter. He has reservations about reporting to his new boss, software chief Craig Federighi, and wants a bigger role.
Years ago, Rockwell was on his way to a job defining Apple’s product and AI roadmap, potentially akin to chief technology officer. The idea made sense given the company’s belief that wearables will be a strong component of its post-iPhone future.
Now the outlook is less clear. Although Apple has been developing smart glasses and other wearable devices, the original Vision Pro failed to resonate with consumers due to its price and weight. Still, Rockwell is unlikely to quit before the Siri update is complete.
Bloomberg notes that even if Rockwell decides to leave Apple or move on to an advisory role, “it will be difficult to leave before the Siri update is complete.”
Finally, Bloomberg‘s report also touches on other recent executive turmoil, including the disappointment of Kate Bergeron, who was seen internally as a potential chief of staff. Tom MariebApple’s head of product integrity was tapped for the role instead.
To read Bloomberg’s full report, follow this link.
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