Robby Walker, one of Apple’s senior figures in artificial intelligence, is preparing to leave the company in October. Once responsible for overseeing Siri, Walker was reassigned earlier this year when control of the voice assistant shifted to Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of software engineering. The change followed setbacks to Apple’s updated Siri rollout, which has yet to receive a firm release date. Reports suggest Walker’s involvement contributed to those delays, leaving many users disappointed with the lack of visible AI progress.
Shaping Apple’s AI Search Efforts
After stepping back from Siri, Walker went on to lead the Answers, Information, and Knowledge group, a team working on a new AI-driven search platform. The initiative—known internally as “Answers”—is designed to rival services like ChatGPT and Perplexity, blending conversational AI with web search capabilities. While the project is still in development, it could reach users as early as 2026. Walker’s exit, however, casts uncertainty over Apple’s ability to deliver on that timeline.
A Trend of High-Profile Exits
Walker’s departure adds to a growing list of senior AI engineers leaving Apple. Meta, in particular, has been drawing talent with highly competitive offers. Earlier this year, Ruoming Pang accepted a reported $200 million deal to join Meta, while Frank Chu, Apple’s former engineering director, also made the switch in September. These moves highlight the intensity of the talent war as major tech players race to build stronger generative AI systems and digital assistants.
Apple’s Path Forward
Apple has not disclosed what Walker’s next position will be, but his exit underscores a broader challenge: retaining top leadership while accelerating delayed AI projects. With rivals aggressively recruiting seasoned experts, Apple faces mounting pressure to demonstrate that it can still deliver groundbreaking AI advancements and remain a serious contender in the fast-moving field.