Apple has just lost one of its top talents, Ke Yang, who was recently appointed to lead a crucial team tasked with revamping Siri. Reports indicate that he will be joining Meta instead. This transition reflects not only internal upheaval but also highlights the escalating competition for AI talent.
Who is Ke Yang, and Why Did Apple Hand Him a Crown, Then Let Him Leave?
Yang’s story unfolds like a gripping tech drama. He joined Apple in 2019 and quickly advanced through the ranks. Earlier this year, Apple established a new division called AKI (Answers, Knowledge, and Information) with the goal of developing a more intelligent version of Siri, similar to ChatGPT, that can retrieve web results and manage multi-step queries.
Apple promoted Yang to lead the AKI team, which was crucial for the planned overhaul of Siri. However, before work on the project could gain momentum, he left the company. Yang is now rumored to be joining Meta. As of now, Apple, Meta, and Yang have not publicly confirmed this transition.
It’s not just a “job switch.” Yang’s exit comes during a period when Apple has already lost several AI leaders, including Ruoming Pang, who led Apple’s foundation models team and moved to Meta earlier this year. So this isn’t a one-off. It’s part of a trend.
Why This Matters to Siri, Apple’s AI Future, and the Industry
AKI was meant to be one of Apple’s big bets. The plan was for the revamped Siri, ready by March, to truly compete with tools from OpenAI, Google’s Gemini, and Perplexity. The model: Siri that doesn’t just answer “What’s the weather?” but can adapt, dig deeper, combine web and personal data, and handle tasks across apps.
With Yang’s departure, new questions arise: Who will lead AKI now? Can the project maintain its momentum? Will Apple be able to ensure continuity? Reports indicate that the AKI team will now fall under Benoit Dupin, a deputy to John Giannandrea, who is responsible for overseeing machine learning infrastructure at Apple.
Apple’s AI organisation has experienced a significant number of departures this year, with around a dozen researchers leaving its “foundation models” division. The departure of Yang is both symbolic and practical; it serves as a warning that tech companies striving to develop the intelligence of the future may struggle if they cannot retain their talent.
Meta has been actively hiring top talent in AI, aggressively recruiting from companies like Apple, OpenAI, and others. This talent acquisition is a crucial aspect of the ongoing competition in the tech industry. While AI models capture the headlines, it’s individuals like Ke Yang who are on the front lines of this battle.
What’s Next and What You Should Watch
- Watch who Apple picks next for AKI. That person now carries enormous pressure.
- See whether Apple accelerates or stalls its Siri overhaul plans with this disruption.
- Track whether more departures follow. With morale, compensation, and vision on the line, this could be a cascade.
- See what role Meta gives Yang. Did they poach him for strategy, for code, or to destabilise Apple?
In the tech industry, losing a key executive is not necessarily fatal. However, losing vision, trust, and continuity can be extremely damaging. Apple’s AI journey is currently facing a crucial challenge: can the company continue to innovate even as some of its key creators are leaving for competitors?
