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Can Apple’s Vision Pro Savior Rescue Siri From AI Obscurity?

Can Apple’s Vision Pro Savior Rescue Siri From AI Obscurity?

Apple’s AI is faltering, Siri is lagging, and Tim Cook is betting on a hardware visionary to turn the tide.

Apple’s AI division is in turmoil. Delays, missed deadlines, and public embarrassment over unfulfilled promises—like the hyped-but-missing Apple Intelligence features—have forced Tim Cook to make a bold move: shifting Mike Rockwell, the architect of the Vision Pro headset, to lead Siri’s revival. But with Rockwell’s background in hardware, not AI, can this gamble pay off? Let’s dive in.

🚨 Siri’s Stumble and Apple’s AI Crisis

  • 💔 Apple Intelligence: A Flop at Launch: Touted as the iPhone 16’s “killer feature,” Apple’s AI platform arrived late and underdelivered. Key capabilities—like analyzing user data to answer complex queries—are still missing months after their debut.
  • 📉 Stock Downturn: Apple shares have dropped 15% in 2024, partly due to AI stagnation. Meanwhile, rivals like Samsung are stealing the spotlight with polished features (e.g., AI-powered photo editing that leaves Apple in the dust).
  • 😬 Internal Turmoil: Siri’s team reportedly feels “angry and embarrassed” by delays, per manager Robby Walker. Development roadblocks have pushed promised features into vague “coming year” timelines.
high-angle view of city
Photo by Carles Rabada / Unsplash

✅ The Rockwell Gamble: Apple’s Proposed Fix

Tim Cook is handing the reins to Mike Rockwell, the VP behind the technically groundbreaking (but commercially shaky) Vision Pro. Here’s why:

  • 🚀 Proven Product Builder: Rockwell took the Vision Pro from concept to reality—a rare feat at Apple. His team solved cutting-edge hardware challenges, including AI-driven spatial computing.
  • 🔧 Hardware Meets AI: Apple is experimenting with AI-integrated devices (e.g., camera-equipped AirPods). Rockwell’s hardware expertise could bridge gaps between Siri and future products.
  • 🛠️ Crisis Management: Rockwell’s trusted deputies—Kim Vorrath and Aimee Nugent—are already embedded in Siri’s team. Known for fixing messy projects, they’re streamlining development ahead of his arrival.

⚠️ The Challenges Ahead

  • 🤖 Rockwell’s AI Learning Curve: Unlike ousted AI chief John Giannandrea (ex-Google), Rockwell lacks AI leadership experience. Can he navigate machine learning’s complexities?
  • 🍎 Cultural Resistance: Shifting Siri to software chief Craig Federighi’s org risks internal friction. Giannandrea remains, but his influence is waning.
  • 📱 Samsung (and Others) Aren’t Waiting: A viral X video compared Galaxy AI’s object removal to Apple’s—and Samsung won decisively. Competitors are sprinting ahead while Apple plays catch-up.

💡 Final Thoughts: Is This Shake-Up Enough?

As an Apple supporter, I’m cautiously optimistic. Rockwell’s fresh perspective and execution chops are worth the risk, but success hinges on:

  • 🚀 Speed: Delivering Apple Intelligence features as soon as possible.
  • 🤝 Hardware-AI Synergy: Leveraging Rockwell’s device expertise to make Siri indispensable on Vision Pro, iPhones, and beyond.

What do you think? Can a hardware guru fix Apple’s AI woes, or is this rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic? Let's discuss on X(Former Twitter)

Sources: Mark Gurman. Apple Shuffles AI Executive Ranks in Bid to Turn Around Siri, March 21, 2025.

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