Behind Apple's decision to change generals when the AI race is tense

Technology corporation Apple is undergoing an unprecedented personnel reshuffle, as a series of senior leaders are leaving en masse.

The most notable names include Chief Operating Officer (COO) Jeff Williams - who was once considered a strong candidate to succeed CEO (CEO) Tim Cook, Director of Artificial Intelligence (AI) John Giannandrea, Director of Government Affairs Lisa Jackson, Vice President of Design Alan Dye and Legal Counsel Kate Adams.

In the current climate, each move seems like a normal part of the business life of a company as large as Apple. But with the rapid departure of its leadership team, it’s easy to wonder whether the company is in crisis.

In terms of fundamentals, the "Apple" is still in a very solid position. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of financial services company TF International Securities pointed out that Apple's stock is trading near a historical peak, the market capitalization has surpassed the $4,000 billion mark, and it reported record iPhone revenue in the most recent quarter with even higher expectations for the first quarter of 2026.

Services continue to grow strongly and Apple is preparing to launch a low-cost MacBook line to boost sales in the education segment.

However, observers say Apple is facing a pressing problem that needs to be thoroughly resolved: the delay in the artificial intelligence (AI) race compared to competitors like Google or Microsoft.

While Apple has not announced any departures related to AI issues, analysts say the departures of Mr. Giannandrea and Mr. Dye are at least a clear signal that Apple is looking to reshape its technology strategy.

These changes are more than just a normal personnel transition, says Gene Munster, a partner at investment management firm Deepwater Asset Management. They stem from CEO Tim Cook’s desire to transform Apple from a follower to a leader in AI.

In fact, Giannandrea’s AI strategy has struggled to keep up with services like Gemini on Android phones, and the next generation of Siri, which Apple had been promoting for 2024, has been delayed until 2026.

According to Bloomberg news agency, due to difficulties with self-developed AI models, Apple is expected to pay Google about $1 billion per year for the Gemini model to operate this virtual assistant before the internal technology is ready.

Zeus Kerravala, founder of market research firm ZK Research, said Apple is being forced to accelerate its AI roadmap after criticism that it has fallen behind. For now, Apple’s AI woes have not caused its loyal customer base to switch to products like Android phones or Windows computers.

But Mr. Kerravala warned that Apple will face the risk of losing market share in the long term if it does not make drastic changes now to strengthen its position./.

(TTXVN/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/dang-sau-quyet-dinh-thay-tuong-cua-apple-khi-cuoc-dua-ai-dang-cang-thang-post1081689.vnp