On Monday, Deepwater Asset Management's managing partner Gene Munster thinks Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) CEO Tim Cook's drive to advance artificial intelligence is intensifying as longtime AI chief John Giannandrea plans to retire in spring 2026.
Apple AI Shakeup Aligns With Siri Update
Apple announced a major leadership change within its AI team, revealing that Giannandrea, who has led AI and machine learning since 2018, will step down and take an advisory role before retiring in 2026.
"While there was no mention in the press release about timing of the new Siri, his spring departure lines up with the rumored timing," Munster said.
Cook's Final Years Bring Pressure For Results
In a video shared later, Munster said that he thinks Giannandrea's exit may have been requested by Cook, saying, "He was probably asked to retire and I think this means that Cook is very intense about his final years at Apple, really pushing forward AI."
Munster said that at 60, Giannandrea still has several productive years left, but Apple appears focused on delivering more substantial results from its AI team to compete with rivals like Alphabet Inc.'s (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL) Google and Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:MSFT).
Earlier this month, it was reported that Cupertino is stepping up succession planning, with its board and senior executives actively discussing potential successors for Cook, who could step down as early as next year, though no formal decision has been made.
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Amar Subramanya To Lead Apple AI Into New Era
Apple has hired Amar Subramanya as its new vice president of AI.
Subramanya previously served as corporate vice president of AI at Microsoft and spent 16 years at Google, contributing to the Gemini Assistant.
Munster said that Subramanya's experience positions him to significantly advance Apple's AI capabilities.
Apple Q4 2025 Earnings Beat Expectations
In October, Apple reported $102.47 billion in fiscal fourth-quarter revenue, surpassing analyst expectations, along with earnings of $1.85 per share, marking its 11th consecutive quarter of beats.
Revenue grew 8% year over year, fueled by double-digit earnings gains across the Americas, Europe and Asia.
On Monday, Apple shares closed at $283.10, up 1.52% but in after-hours trading, it was slightly down at $283.09. Benzinga’s Edge Stock Rankings rank AAPL in the 97th percentile for Growth and the 86th percentile for Quality, highlighting the company's robust performance relative to its industry peers.
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