Bloomberg reports that among the recent leadership changes at Apple, Mike Rockwell, who created the Vision Pro and is currently leading the efforts to revamp Siri, is considering leaving the company or reducing his role. Here are the details.

Mike Rockwell Not Expected to Leave Before Delivering Revamped Siri

According to Bloomberg, in a new report regarding the talent retention challenges that Apple’s new CEO John Ternus will face, it is noted that Mike Rockwell, who is currently leading the efforts to restructure Siri, has been evaluating his options at the company recently.

Rockwell took on the task of revamping the upcoming AI-powered Siri after losing confidence in the company’s AI efforts under the leadership of Tim Cook’s former AI chief John Giannandrea.

At that time, considering the technological hurdles Rockwell overcame to bring Apple Vision Pro to market, this move was justified with the view that he could achieve challenging results.

However, Apple’s overall AI efforts are now overseen by the company’s software chief Craig Federighi, and Bloomberg reports that Rockwell has hesitations about reporting to him.

From the content of the report:

Mike Rockwell (…) according to people familiar with the matter, has considered leaving Apple next year or transitioning to a consulting role. He has hesitations about reporting to his new boss, software chief Craig Federighi, and desires a larger role.

Years ago, Rockwell was moving toward a position that defined Apple’s product and AI roadmap; this was potentially similar to a chief technology officer position. This idea made sense with the belief that wearable devices that interact with the head would be a strong component of the company’s post-iPhone future.

Now, however, the outlook is more uncertain. While Apple is developing smart glasses and other wearable devices, the original Vision Pro has failed to connect with consumers due to its price and weight. Still, Rockwell is not expected to leave his job before the Siri update is completed.

Bloomberg states that even if Rockwell is considering leaving Apple or transitioning to a consulting role, "it is unlikely he will leave his job before the Siri update is completed."

Lastly, Bloomberg’s report also addresses the disappointment of Kate Bergeron, who is seen internally as a potential hardware chief, as she saw Tom Marieb, head of product integrity at Apple, selected for this role.

Click this link to read Bloomberg’s full report.