Apple’s Robby Walker, a top AI executive at the iPhone maker, is departing the company, according to Bloomberg News reporter Mark Gurman, who cited sources familiar with the matter.
Walker, one of the few direct reports to AI head John Giannandrea, previously oversaw Siri until earlier this year, when responsibility for the voice assistant transferred to software chief Craig Federighi. The shift followed the public delay of promised Siri updates, representing a notable setback.
Mark Gurman for Bloomberg News:
After leaving the Siri role, Walker became one of the top Apple executives working on a new AI-powered web search system to compete with Perplexity and ChatGPT. It’s scheduled to debut next year.
He’s currently the senior director in charge of the company’s Answers, Information and Knowledge team. Walker is planning to leave Apple next month, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the move hasn’t been announced.
In an internal meeting in March, Walker pushed back against criticism about Siri’s feature delays, while acknowledging they were embarrassing.
MacDailyNews Take: The exodus continues.
Half a decade after Steve Jobs’ death, people are beginning to see the results of the lack of a charismatic, focused leader. You cannot go from Steve Jobs to someone who “doesn’t like people arguing” and not cause a profound culture change. – MacDailyNews, April 10, 2017
If he retired today, Tim Cook’s Apple would be known for coasting along on Steve Jobs’ innovations, rolling up tremendous profits that any halfway competent CEO would have accrued (or more), and devolving into being lazy, sloppy and routinely late. That’s a great legacy, Tim. — MacDailyNews, April 10, 2018
See also:
• Apple’s brain drain continues as lead AI robotics researcher leaves for Meta – September 2, 2025
• Brain drain: Apple loses fourth AI researcher to Meta Platforms – July 29, 2025
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Are there even any AI execs left at Apple at this point?
If he is the one who oversaw Siri… Good Riddance !
He should have been fired to start with!
Yeah…seeing this; “Walker, one of the few direct reports to AI head John Giannandrea, previously oversaw Siri until earlier this year…” and he was “working on a new AI-powered web search system to compete with Perplexity and ChatGPT,” lessens concern.
Indi results were lacking and, or there’s deep dysfunction, with John Giannandrea, leading that bus, either are real possibilities.
Deep cleaning can be alarming, but….Maria needs to go.
“You cannot go from Steve Jobs to someone who “doesn’t like people arguing” and not cause a profound culture change”
that’s actually beautifully said!
Way to go Tim another innovator you’ve got rid of
The london Times sums it up today
“the. Thrill has Gone how we fell out of love with the new iPhone
You keep leveraging old items and that’s all you’ve done for years. Coupled with an appalling presentation, you are completely out of touch , look at the presentation again not with a bunch of lackies who similarly lack imagination and innovation and just agree with you to keep their jobs while you get rid of those who can innovate and will tell you the truth. And they will tell you a tired old man sought to make an unimaginative product launch even more boring. No one was cuing up to watch this for very long
I repeat my comment from the other day
These analysts are wildly out of touch with real customers. Analysts are lusting over the shiny new toy called AI. According to surveys, actual users are wary about AI and unsure of the benefits.
This is not new. Time and again new Apple products are met with enthusiasm by customers and yawns by analysts.
This reminds me of the release of the iPod mini. The so called pundits panned it. “Too costly, too little storage, too few CODECs”. Actual customers loved it. The size and storage were just right for a real person to use.
This seems to be a consistent problem. Experts marinate in the technology of their field and crave the very best. Actual people just want something that works pretty well. According to the car magazine guys we should all be driving Ferraris or Aston Martins. Real people drive Chevys and Corolla’s to get to work.