The plan for Apple senior vice president of Machine Learning and AI Strategy John Giannandrea to retire early next year comes after the tech giant stumbled in efforts to show it was not being left behind on the technology.
Giannandrea will serve as an advisor to Apple during his remaining time with the company, according to the iPhone maker.
"We are thankful for the role John played in building and advancing our AI work," Apple chief executive Tim Cook said in a post announcing the news.
Researcher Amar Subramanya has joined Apple as a vice president and will lead in "critical areas," including AI foundation models and machine learning, according to the company.
Subramanya was most recently a corporate vice president of AI at Microsoft, prior to that spending 16 years at Google where he was head of engineering for the Gemini digital assistant before leaving, Apple said.
Apple cited Subramanya's experience integrating AI into features and products as "important to Apple's ongoing innovation and future Apple Intelligence features."
Giannandrea joined Apple in 2018, heading the company's AI efforts. Apple early this year delayed the release of an improved Siri digital assistant and is now promising it for next year.
Meanwhile, Google, Microsoft, OpenAI and other tech rivals have been releasing ever-improved AI models and features in a fierce race to lead in the technology.
Apple has been under pressure to show it is not being left behind when it comes to artificial intelligence, with the potential to change how people engage with the internet and computers.
Cook cited AI as "central to Apple's strategy" and said Subramanya will bring "extraordinary AI expertise" to his role reporting to senior vice president of Software Engineering Craig Federighi.
"Craig has been instrumental in driving our AI efforts, including overseeing our work to bring a more personalized Siri to users next year," Cook said.
On a recent earnings call, Cook touted the latest Apple devices and the tech giant's custom chips and efforts to enhance products and services with artificial intelligence.
Samsung unveils first 'special edition' triple-folding phone
Seoul (AFP) Dec 2, 2025 -
Samsung launched its first triple-folding phone on Tuesday, a special-edition product with an eyewatering price tag placing it out of the reach of the average consumer.
The Galaxy Z TriFold will go on sale on December 12 and costs more than twice as much as the new iPhone 17 at $2,443.
Super thin, it unfolds to a 10-inch (25.4 centimetre) display, offering "increased possibilities for creating and working", the South Korean tech giant said.
The triple fold function is not world-first -- China's Huawei beat Samsung to the punch last year with a phone at a similarly exorbitant price.
Growth has been patchy in the competitive smartphone market, pushing makers to find new, eye-catching ways to differentiate their products.
Offered solely in a black design, Samsung's new device comes in at 309 grams (10.9 ounces) and at its thinnest point measures less than 0.2 inches.
Generative artificial intelligence features are integrated into the phone, which can give real-time help through screen or camera sharing.
Samsung admitted the Galaxy Z TriFold was "not intended for mass sales".
Kim Seong-eun, Executive Vice President at Samsung Electronics said it was a "special edition" product.
The launch comes as recent industry numbers suggest Apple is on track to overtake Samsung for the first time in 14 years as the world's top smartphone maker through 2029.
Apple has also long been rumored to be planning a foldable iPhone, possibly as early as next year.
The US company's smartphone shipments are expected to reach a global share of 19.4 percent in 2025 while Samsung is expected to hold 18.7 percent -- with Apple effectively dethroning its rival for the first time, according to research firm Counterpoint.
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