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Apple AI executive Ke Yang departs for Meta amid intensifying talent war

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Apple has lost another key artificial intelligence executive to Meta, as competition for top AI talent across Silicon Valley continues to escalate. Ke Yang, who was recently appointed to lead Apple’s new Answers, Knowledge and Information (AKI) division — a team central to the overhaul of Siri and Apple’s web-based AI search project — is reportedly leaving to join Meta Platforms, according to Bloomberg News.

Yang’s departure comes just weeks after her promotion, which positioned her at the forefront of Apple’s push to develop a ChatGPT-like AI-driven search tool. The project was expected to debut in March as part of Apple’s broader effort to integrate generative AI into its ecosystem.

Neither Apple, Meta, nor Yang have commented publicly on the move. Yang joined Apple in 2019, according to her LinkedIn profile.

Meta, led by Mark Zuckerberg, has been aggressively recruiting AI experts from competitors including Apple, Google, OpenAI, and Anthropic, as major tech firms pour billions into advancing generative AI and large language models. Bloomberg previously reported that other Apple executives, including Ruoming Pang and Robby Walker, have also recently left the company amid the growing AI talent war.

The move underscores the fierce competition among tech giants seeking to gain an edge in the race toward AI-powered search and digital assistants — a space increasingly defined by breakthroughs in conversational models and multimodal intelligence.

Meta to Use AI Chat Data to Personalize Content and Ads Starting December

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Meta Platforms announced that beginning December 16, the company will start using users’ interactions with its generative AI tools to personalize both content and advertising across its major apps, including Facebook and Instagram.

The change — which will roll out globally except in the UK, the European Union, and South Korea — will apply to anyone who uses Meta AI, the company’s generative chatbot available via text or voice. Starting October 7, Meta will notify users of the update. However, there will be no option to opt out of this data integration.

AI INTERACTIONS TO SHAPE RECOMMENDATIONS

Meta said that user conversations with its AI — whether discussing travel, sports, or hobbies — will become an additional data signal alongside likes, follows, and other activity to help refine content recommendations and ad targeting.

For example, a user chatting with Meta AI about hiking might later see hiking-related groups, friends’ outdoor posts, or ads for hiking gear.
“People’s interactions simply are going to be another piece of the input that will inform the personalization of feeds and ads,” said Christy Harris, Meta’s privacy policy manager.

The company clarified that AI interactions involving sensitive topics — such as religion, sexuality, health, political affiliation, or ethnicity — will not be used for advertising purposes.

A MASSIVE PERSONALIZATION PUSH

The update is part of Meta’s broader strategy to make its AI ecosystem deeply integrated across all its apps. According to the company, Meta AI now has over 1 billion monthly active users, marking one of the fastest-growing AI deployments worldwide.

At the company’s annual shareholder meeting, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the goal for 2025 is to make Meta AI the leading personal assistant, emphasizing personalization, natural voice interactions, and entertainment.

The integration comes amid a new phase of AI monetization among tech giants. Both Google and Amazon are already leveraging AI to boost cloud revenues, but Meta’s move is unique for its cross-platform scale and its decision to blend AI chat data with social and ad algorithms.

By combining behavioral, conversational, and contextual signals, Meta aims to offer advertisers more effective targeting while keeping users more engaged through hyper-personalized recommendations.

Apple Halts Vision Pro Overhaul to Focus on AI-Powered Smart Glasses

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Apple has paused development of its next-generation Vision Pro headset to redirect resources toward the creation of artificial intelligence-powered smart glasses, according to a report by Bloomberg News citing people familiar with the matter.

The company had been working on a cheaper and lighter version of its $3,499 Vision Pro — code-named N100 — with a tentative release window in 2027. However, Apple reportedly told employees last week that development teams will now shift their focus to an AI glasses project, accelerating its timeline to compete directly with Meta Platforms’ smart eyewear.

The decision reflects Apple’s changing strategy in the face of slowing Vision Pro sales. The mixed-reality headset, launched in February 2024, received strong initial attention but quickly lost momentum amid limited mainstream content and competition from more affordable alternatives like Meta’s Quest series.

TWO NEW GLASSES MODELS IN DEVELOPMENT

Apple is said to be working on two distinct smart glasses models:

  • N50, the first version, will connect to an iPhone and will not include a display. Apple aims to unveil this model as early as next year, with a public release planned for 2027.

  • A second, more advanced model — equipped with a built-in display — is now being fast-tracked for release around 2028, according to Bloomberg’s sources.

The advanced model is seen as Apple’s answer to Meta’s Ray-Ban Display glasses, which CEO Mark Zuckerberg showcased in September along with a new Oakley-branded “Vanguard” model designed for athletes.

Apple’s upcoming glasses will reportedly emphasize voice control and AI-driven functions, integrating tightly with iPhone services and Apple’s growing ecosystem of on-device intelligence.

SHIFTING STRATEGY IN THE AI ERA

The move highlights Apple’s broader push to catch up in artificial intelligence, an area where competitors such as Google and Meta have been more aggressive.

At Apple’s September product launch event, the company introduced new iPhones and a slimmer iPhone Air, but industry analysts noted the absence of major AI announcements, raising questions about Apple’s roadmap in the rapidly evolving AI market.

By contrast, Google’s Gemini-powered Pixel phones and Meta’s AI-integrated wearables have taken the spotlight in the consumer AI space.

When contacted by Reuters, Apple declined to comment on the report.

If the timeline holds, Apple’s shift could mark a major strategic pivot from mixed reality to wearable AI, positioning its smart glasses as a potential successor — not just a companion — to the iPhone.