Apple has appointed Amar Subramanya as its new Vice President of AI, marking a significant shift in the company’s leadership as it works to strengthen its artificial-intelligence capabilities. He steps into the role following John Giannandrea, who will continue as an advisor until his retirement in 2026.
The leadership change comes at a defining moment for Apple, which has been pushing to accelerate its AI strategy across hardware, software, and core applications. Company executives described Amar as an exceptional technologist whose expertise will guide Apple’s next phase of AI development.
A Journey from Bangalore to the Heart of Silicon Valley
Amar Subramanya’s career spans two decades across some of the world’s most influential tech companies.
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He began his academic journey with a degree in electrical, electronics, and communications engineering from Bangalore University in 2001. He later completed his PhD at the University of Washington, where he also interned and later worked as a visiting researcher at Microsoft.
His longest stint was at Google, where he spent 16 years in roles that steadily grew in responsibility—from staff research scientist to principal engineer, and eventually Vice President of Engineering. During this period, he worked on and later led engineering for the Gemini AI assistant, giving him deep experience in managing teams building next-generation AI systems.
In mid-2025, Amar moved to Microsoft as Corporate Vice President of AI. Within months, Apple brought him on board to lead its AI operations, a sign of the company’s confidence in his ability to guide one of its most strategic verticals.
What Amar Will Now Lead at Apple
In his new role, Amar will oversee several critical areas within Apple’s AI organisation:
1. Development of Apple’s in-house foundation models
2. Core machine-learning research
3. AI safety and evaluation initiatives
4. Integration of advanced AI technologies across Apple’s product ecosystem
He will report directly to Craig Federighi, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Software Engineering, placing him at the centre of Apple’s long-term AI roadmap.
