In a major shakeup inside Apple’s top leadership, Indian-origin artificial intelligence expert Amar Subramanya has been appointed Vice President of AI, marking one of the most significant leadership transitions in the company’s recent history. He replaces John Giannandrea, Apple’s long-time machine-learning chief, and will now spearhead Apple’s next-generation AI ambitions—including a more powerful, personalized Siri scheduled to launch soon.
Apple confirmed that Subramanya will work directly under Craig Federighi, Senior Vice President of Software Engineering, who is now overseeing Apple’s aggressive push into advanced generative AI and large-scale foundation models.
A New Era for Apple’s AI Vision
In a public statement, Apple CEO Tim Cook praised Subramanya’s deep expertise, calling AI “a key pillar in Apple’s long-term strategy.” Cook thanked Giannandrea for strengthening Apple’s AI foundation over the years and said he was confident that Subramanya’s leadership would unlock the next phase of Apple Intelligence.
With AI now defining the competition between Apple, Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI, Subramanya’s arrival signals Apple’s intention to close the gap and redefine on-device intelligence for billions of users.
Who Is Amar Subramanya?
A respected technologist in Silicon Valley, Amar Subramanya brings over two decades of hands-on experience in artificial intelligence, machine learning, large-scale systems, and consumer AI products.
His Journey From Bengaluru to the Global AI Stage
Born and educated in India, Amar completed his Bachelor’s in Electrical, Electronics & Communication Engineering from Bangalore University (1997–2001).
He later moved to the United States to pursue higher studies and earned a PhD from the University of Washington (2005–2009), specializing in machine learning and pattern recognition.
16 Years at Google: The DeepMind & Gemini Era
Subramanya spent an extraordinary 16 years at Google, where he:
◆Led engineering for the Gemini Assistant, Google’s next-generation AI assistant designed to compete with ChatGPT and Siri.
◆Worked closely with Google DeepMind, the company’s elite AI research division known for AlphaGo, AlphaFold, and other breakthroughs.
◆Built foundational systems that merged research innovations with real-world products.
His career at Google positioned him among the most trusted engineering leaders capable of scaling AI safely and reliably for billions.
Leadership at Microsoft
Before joining Apple, Amar held the role of Corporate Vice President of AI at Microsoft, where he:
●Directed applied AI teams.
●Worked on consumer-facing AI services.
●Contributed to Microsoft’s rapidly accelerating AI race alongside OpenAI’s technologies.
His experience at both Google and Microsoft gives him a rare cross-industry perspective at the highest levels of AI innovation.
What Amar Subramanya Means for Apple’s AI Future
Under his leadership, Apple will push advances in:
◆ Foundation Models
The core technology behind Apple Intelligence.
◆ Machine-Learning Research
To ensure Apple maintains control over on-device and cloud-enhanced intelligence.
◆ AI Safety & Responsible Deployment
A major area of focus as Apple enters generative AI in a big way.
◆ A More Personal, Context-Aware Siri
Craig Federighi has already confirmed a fully revamped Siri powered by deeper personalization and stronger reasoning—a project Subramanya will now own.
Industry insiders believe Apple has placed their AI future in the hands of a leader who understands not only the science but also the importance of building AI that is:
private,
safe,
fast,
and deeply integrated with Apple hardware.
Why His Appointment Is Making Headlines
A major global tech company has chosen an Indian-origin researcher to lead its most important frontier.
Apple is entering an AI arms race dominated by Google, OpenAI, and Microsoft.
Subramanya’s rare mix of research depth and product leadership makes him uniquely positioned to redefine Apple’s AI future.
