Apple is navigating a rough patch in its AI strategy following the departure of Tom Gunter, a top Siri researcher. His exit after eight years signals deeper issues within Apple’s AI division, particularly as rivals like Meta and OpenAI lure talent with hefty salaries. Colleagues say replacing Gunter’s deep language model expertise will be tough.
MLX Team Nearly Walked Away
The crisis didn’t stop with Gunter’s exit. Apple narrowly avoided a mass walkout by the MLX team—the group behind Apple’s machine learning framework built for Apple Silicon. Reports indicate these engineers threatened to quit, pushing Apple into emergency counteroffers to keep them on board. The MLX framework plays a vital role in running AI features efficiently across Apple devices. Losing that team would have seriously damaged the company’s long-term AI plans.
Talent War and Confidence Crisis
Apple is no longer the most attractive place for machine learning experts. Competing firms offer bigger paychecks and more ambitious AI opportunities. Internally, Apple is also struggling with a lack of clarity. Leadership debates whether to continue building its own AI models or rely more heavily on third-party solutions from companies like Anthropic and OpenAI.
That uncertainty affects morale. Engineers reportedly feel undervalued, and confidence in leadership is slipping. Some insiders believe Apple’s in-house models lag behind competitors, creating further frustration.
A Strategy in Flux
Apple’s signature approach—tight control over its tech stack—is now under pressure. Outsourcing key parts of Siri might help the company catch up quickly, but it also risks damaging Apple’s brand of seamless vertical integration. While Apple managed to retain key staff this time, ongoing questions about its AI future remain unresolved.
Unless Apple can inspire its AI teams with a clear direction and meaningful innovation, it risks falling further behind in the industry’s most important race.
