GoKawiilBloomberg reports that amid recent leadership changes at Apple, Mike Rockwell, who created the Vision Pro and now oversees efforts to revamp Siri, has considered leaving or reducing his role at the company. Here are the details.
Mike Rockwell ‘unlikely’ to leave before delivering revamped Siri
In a new report on the talent retention challenges John Ternus will face as Apple’s next CEO, Bloomberg says Mike Rockwell, who’s currently leading efforts to overhaul Siri, has recently weighed his options at the company.
Rockwell was tasked with revamping the upcoming AI-powered Siri as part of a broader reshuffle after Tim Cook lost confidence in the company’s AI efforts led by former AI chief John Giannandrea.
At the time, the move was justified by the view that Rockwell could deliver on challenging results, given the technological hurdles he overcame to bring Apple Vision Pro to market.
Still, Apple’s overall AI efforts are now overseen by the company’s software chief Craig Federighi, with Bloomberg now reporting that Rockwell has had reservations about reporting to him.
From the report:
Mike Rockwell (…) has considered leaving or moving into an advisory role next year, according to people with knowledge of the matter. He has had reservations about reporting to his new boss, software chief Craig Federighi, and desires a larger role. Years ago, Rockwell had been on a path to a job defining Apple’s product and AI road map, a position potentially akin to chief technology officer. The idea made sense given the company’s belief that head-worn wearables would be a strong component of its post-iPhone future. Now the outlook is less clear. Though Apple is developing smart glasses and other wearable devices, the original Vision Pro failed to resonate with consumers due to its price and weight. Still, Rockwell would be unlikely to leave his job before the Siri upgrade is complete.
Bloomberg notes that even if Rockwell decides to either leave Apple or move into an advisory role, he “would be unlikely to leave his job before the Siri upgrade is complete.”
Finally, Bloomberg’s report also touches on other recent executive shuffles, including frustration from Kate Bergeron, who had been seen internally as a potential hardware chief, only to see Tom Marieb, Apple’s head of product integrity, selected for the role instead.
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