The race for the best minds in artificial intelligence is entering the next round. Meta has once again poached a high-ranking employee from Apple. This time it's Ke Yang, who was appointed head of Apple's new AI search project just a few weeks ago. The move is another setback for Apple, which has been losing more and more experienced professionals to competitors like Meta, OpenAI, and Anthropic in recent months.
Apple's departures in the field of artificial intelligence are piling up. The team working on the foundations for the next generation of Siri is particularly affected. Internal unrest is growing because several key executives have left the company. The fact that Ke Yang, who most recently led the project to develop a ChatGPT-like search function, is now moving to Meta underscores how hard Apple is currently struggling to maintain stability in its AI department.
Apple's brain drain is picking up speed
In recent months, Apple has lost several key individuals from its AI division. These include Jian Zhang, who served as senior AI researcher for robotics; Ruoming Pang, who led the foundational modeling team; and Frank Chu, who oversaw work on Apple's AI systems in the areas of cloud infrastructure, training, and search. All three have since moved to Meta, which is actively seeking specialists in Silicon Valley to advance its AI projects.
The departure of these employees is particularly sensitive for Apple, as they were involved in strategically important projects. Meta, on the other hand, benefits from the experience of the former Apple experts and thus further strengthens its own position in the AI competition.
Ke Yang's move to Meta
As Bloomberg reports , Ke Yang will also be joining Meta. Yang was recently appointed head of a new Apple team called Answers, Knowledge and Information (AKI). The group is developing features that will enable Siri to retrieve information directly from the internet—similar to ChatGPT.
The AKI team was formed earlier this year to explore internal AI services and create a new, conversational search experience for Apple products. Following an internal restructuring that saw Robby Walker leave the company, Yang took over overall leadership of the group. Previously, he was responsible only for the Answers section. Walker had previously led the Siri overhaul, which had proven challenging in the past. Following his departure, Yang was entrusted with leading the entire project—until now, when he decided to move to Meta.
Uncertainty about Apple's next steps
With Yang's departure, it remains unclear who will take over the leadership of the AKI team. Yang reported directly to John Giannandrea, Apple's Senior Vice President of Artificial Intelligence. Apple reportedly plans to fill this leadership position as well, as Giannandrea's influence has declined significantly in recent months.
Its role in Apple's AI strategy was already weakened last year following repeated delays in the rollout of so-called Apple Intelligence features, including the new version of Siri, originally scheduled for release in March 2025.
Meta benefits from Apple's uncertainty
Meta is deliberately exploiting Apple's current situation. In recent months, the company has hired numerous experienced AI specialists who previously worked at Apple. The company is pursuing a clear strategy: expanding its generative AI technologies to compete directly with OpenAI, Anthropic, and, of course, Apple.
While Apple is dealing with internal restructuring, leadership changes, and unclear timelines, Meta is systematically expanding its AI capabilities. The poaching of Ke Yang is no coincidence, but part of a long-term personnel strategy to strengthen its position in AI research and development.
Apple struggles with leadership problems and setbacks
Ke Yang's move to Meta is another sign that Apple is losing ground in the field of artificial intelligence. The company has lost several key figures in recent months and is struggling with delays in important projects.
The weak leadership surrounding John Giannandrea and the uncertain future of the AKI team demonstrate that Apple is currently grappling with structural problems. While Meta is investing decisively in new AI initiatives and attracting experienced professionals, Apple has yet to prove its ability to compete in this rapidly growing technology field.
Whether Apple can catch up depends on how quickly the company stabilizes its internal projects and finds a clear strategic direction. Ke Yang's recent departure is certainly a warning sign—both for Apple itself and for the perception of its innovative strength in the AI world. (Image: Shutterstock / Poetra.RH)
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