Apple AI Executive Departs Amid Talent Exodus to Rivals

Robby Walker, a senior artificial intelligence executive at Apple who previously oversaw Siri and later led the company’s AI-powered search initiative, is set to leave the iPhone maker in October, Bloomberg reports. Walker has served as senior director of Apple’s Answers, Information and Knowledge team since April and was one of the few direct reports to AI chief John Giannandrea before oversight of Siri shifted to software chief Craig Federighi.

AI Leadership Turmoil at Apple

Apple’s AI division has undergone significant upheaval in recent months. In March, CEO Tim Cook reassigned Mike Rockwell—the Vision Pro creator—to oversee Siri development after concerns over delays in promised AI features. Internal sources described these setbacks as “embarrassing,” noting that Walker himself likened the unfinished Siri revamp to “an attempt to swim to Hawaii” despite notable technical milestones (TechCrunch; Slashdot).

Broader Talent Exodus

Walker’s departure follows a wave of AI talent leaving Apple for competitors, particularly Meta Platforms. Since early 2025, approximately a dozen top AI researchers have exited, including Ruoming Pang—former head of Apple’s Foundation Models team—who joined Meta in July with a reported compensation package exceeding $200 million. Other recent departures include Frank Chu (cloud infrastructure and search), Mark Lee, and Tom Gunter, all of whom moved to Meta’s Superintelligence Labs, fueling concerns about Apple’s ability to retain critical AI expertise (9to5Mac; Yahoo Finance).

Apple Intelligence Delays Continue

Apple’s flagship AI initiative, Apple Intelligence (formerly Siri enhancements unveiled at WWDC 2024), has faced multiple postponements, with core features deferred to 2026. In the interim, Apple has integrated third-party AI services like ChatGPT to power certain functions. Despite Walker’s exit, Apple’s Answers search project remains slated for a 2026 launch, though his departure highlights the ongoing struggle to match competitors’ pace in AI development.