Apple is making a significant change to its Siri leadership, replacing John Giannandrea with Mike Rockwell, the head of Vision Pro development, according to a report from Bloomberg. The move comes after Apple CEO Tim Cook reportedly lost confidence in Giannandrea's ability to lead AI development, which has been plagued by delays.

The shift in leadership is a significant one, especially given the high stakes surrounding Apple's AI ambitions. The company had previously announced plans to roll out generative AI upgrades for Siri, but recently pushed back the launch to "the coming year" due to development taking "longer than we thought." The delay has raised concerns about Apple's ability to keep pace with competitors like Google and Amazon in the AI space.

The situation within the Siri team has been described as "ugly" by Apple senior director Robby Walker, who addressed a tense team meeting earlier this month. The meeting highlighted the challenges facing the AI team, which has struggled to meet Apple's ambitious goals for Siri.

Rockwell's appointment marks a significant shake-up within Apple's AI leadership. As the head of Vision Pro development, Rockwell has overseen the development of Apple's advanced computer vision technology. His experience in this area is likely to be seen as a major asset in leading the Siri team, which has been tasked with integrating AI capabilities into the virtual assistant.

Meanwhile, Giannandrea will no longer have control over the Siri team, and Paule Meade, an executive who has run hardware engineering for the Vision Pro under Rockwell, will take over as the head of the Vision Pro Group. The changes are likely to have significant implications for Apple's AI strategy, which has been a major focus area for the company in recent years.

The leadership shake-up raises questions about Apple's ability to execute on its AI ambitions, particularly given the high stakes surrounding Siri. As the company continues to delay the rollout of its AI upgrades, the pressure will be on Rockwell to turn things around and deliver on Apple's promises. With the tech giant's reputation on the line, the stakes have never been higher.

As the AI landscape continues to evolve, Apple's ability to adapt and innovate will be crucial to its success. With Rockwell at the helm of Siri, the company will be hoping to regain momentum and deliver on its promises to users. Only time will tell if this leadership shake-up will be enough to get Apple's AI strategy back on track.