Mike Rockwell, the newly appointed head of Apple’s Siri department, is implementing significant changes to accelerate the development of the company’s artificial intelligence capabilities. As one of the largest tech companies, Apple is under pressure to catch up in the generative AI space, yet Siri has lagged behind competitors, appearing more like a basic assistant rather than the advanced AI initially showcased.

Despite unveiling Apple Intelligence nearly a year ago, Apple has only introduced a notification summarization tool and a feature akin to a Magic Eraser. This falls short of expectations, especially when compared to the highly integrated and intelligent Siri that was promoted during the WWDC 2024 event.

The anticipated iOS 18-powered iPhone 16, designed to rival competitors like the Google Pixel 9 and Galaxy S25, has instead resembled an incremental update of the previous iPhone models, leaving many users dissatisfied. In response to mounting frustration over delays in AI advancements, Apple has sought to revamp the Siri team.

Rockwell has replaced previous leadership with new personnel from the Vision Pro division, indicating a drastic restructuring. Notably, Olivier Gutknecht, a senior executive from Vision Pro, has been appointed to enhance the Siri user experience, while Ranjit Desai, another Vision Pro executive, will oversee engineering for Siri.

Additionally, Apple veterans Nate Begeman and Tom Duffy will focus on the foundational architecture of Siri, while Stuart Bowers will work on refining user response mechanisms. David Winarsky will manage a team dedicated to voice and speech features.

These leadership adjustments signal Apple’s commitment to transforming Siri and meeting user expectations for robust AI functionalities. As the changes unfold, many will be watching closely to see if this new direction brings the promised innovations to life.