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Apple Shakes Up AI Leadership to Revitalize Siri Amid Delays

/in /tarafından

Apple is restructuring its AI leadership to accelerate improvements to its Siri virtual assistant after facing several months of delays, according to a Bloomberg News report. The changes come as Apple works to enhance its AI capabilities following a series of setbacks, with some Siri updates now not expected until 2026.

Mike Rockwell, the vice president responsible for the Vision Products Group (VPG), will now take charge of the Siri team, marking a significant leadership shift. This move follows concerns from CEO Tim Cook about AI head John Giannandrea’s ability to effectively manage product development in this area. Rockwell, known for his work on the Vision Pro headset, will now report to software chief Craig Federighi, further distancing Siri from Giannandrea’s oversight.

In addition to Rockwell’s new role, Paul Meade, an executive who has overseen hardware engineering for the Vision Pro, will step in to manage the Vision Products Group.

Apple has been working on AI-driven features such as Apple Intelligence, which includes capabilities like rewriting emails and summarizing inboxes. However, the delays in the Siri improvements are a setback in the company’s broader AI strategy.

Tim Kuniskis Rejoins Stellantis to Lead Ram Brand After CEO’s Exit

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Tim Kuniskis, a prominent Stellantis executive, is returning to the automaker with immediate effect, CNBC has confirmed. Kuniskis, who retired in May, will resume leadership of the Ram Trucks brand, according to sources familiar with the decision. The announcement, which was shared with Stellantis employees on Monday, follows the unexpected resignation of CEO Carlos Tavares just a week earlier, amid challenges in the company’s North American market.

In a statement, Stellantis emphasized that the restructuring would help the company achieve better results in the region and capitalize on the potential of the Ram brand. The company noted that having a CEO dedicated solely to Ram would be a key part of this strategy.

Kuniskis is well-regarded for his previous leadership of the Ram and Dodge brands at Stellantis. He is especially recognized for his role in bringing the high-performance Hellcat models to Dodge, helping the brand become synonymous with American muscle cars. Kuniskis also led the introduction of the Hellcat-powered Ram TRX pickup truck, further cementing his legacy as a key figure in Stellantis’ North American operations.

His return is part of broader changes within Stellantis’ North American leadership. Chris Feuell will now oversee both Chrysler and Alfa Romeo, while Jeff Kommor will focus solely on North American sales. Meanwhile, Larry Dominique, previously in charge of Alfa Romeo for North America, is set to depart.

Kuniskis’ return to Stellantis comes at a time when the company is grappling with a decline in U.S. sales, particularly for the Ram brand, which saw a 24% drop in sales through the third quarter of 2024.

 

OpenAI CFO Reassures Investors Amid Leadership Departures, Funding Round Set to Close Soon

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OpenAI’s CFO, Sarah Friar, sought to calm investors following a series of high-profile executive departures, assuring them that the company remains strong and poised to close a major funding round. In an email to investors. Friar addressed the departure of Chief Technology Officer Mira Murati and two top research executives, Bob McGrew and Barret Zoph, who all left this week.

“While leadership changes are never easy, I want to ensure you have the full context,” Friar wrote. She highlighted Murati’s contributions over her six-and-a-half-year tenure and emphasized the company’s “talented leadership bench” that remains capable of competing in the rapidly evolving AI industry.

Despite the recent turnover, OpenAI, which is backed by Microsoft and has recently partnered with Apple, is finalizing a $6.5 billion funding round. The round, led by Thrive Capital with a $1 billion investment, is expected to value the company at $150 billion. According to Friar, the funding round is oversubscribed and should close by next week.

In her message, Friar emphasized that the company remains “laser-focused” on democratizing AI and building sustainable revenue models, noting that investors will soon be introduced to key product and research leaders. The company remains committed to its next phase of growth.

Murati’s exit follows other high-profile departures at OpenAI, including co-founder John Schulman and safety chief Jan Leike, who joined rival Anthropic. Other founders such as Ilya Sutskever and Greg Brockman have also left, with Sutskever starting his own AI company, and Brockman currently on a leave of absence.

To fill the leadership gap, Mark Chen will assume the role of Senior Vice President of Research, while other executives like Kevin Weil, formerly of Meta, and Srinivas Narayanan will continue to drive the company forward.

In addition, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman addressed concerns in an all-hands meeting regarding rumors of a “giant equity stake” for himself, which he firmly denied. Investors have expressed concerns about Altman’s lack of equity in the company he co-founded nearly nine years ago.