Apple Updates Leadership Page to Include New AI Chief John Giannandrea

[MacRumors]

Apple today updated its Apple Leadership page to include John Giannandrea, who now serves as Apple's Chief of Machine Learning and AI Strategy.

Apple hired Giannandrea back in April, stealing him away from Google where he ran the search and artificial intelligence unit.

Giannandrea is leading Apple's AI and machine learning teams, reporting directly to Apple CEO Tim Cook. He has taken over leadership of Siri, which was previously overseen by software engineering chief Craig Federighi.

Apple told TechCrunch that it is combining its Core ML and Siri teams under Giannandrea. The structure of the two teams will remain intact, but both will now answer to Giannandrea.

Under his leadership, Apple will continue to build its AI/ML teams, says TechCrunch, focusing on general computation in the cloud alongside data-sensitive on-device computations.

Giannandrea spent eight years at Google before joining Apple, and before that, he founded Tellme Networks and Metaweb Technologies.

Apple's hiring of Giannandrea in April came amid ongoing criticism of Siri, which many have claimed has serious shortcomings in comparison to AI offerings from companies like Microsoft, Amazon, and Google due to Apple's focus on privacy.

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In 2018, Apple is improving Siri through a new Siri Shortcuts feature that's coming in iOS 12, which is designed to let users create multi-step tasks using both first and third-party apps that can be activated through Siri.

Article Link: Apple Updates Leadership Page to Include New AI Chief John Giannandrea

 

[imgroot]

Shortcomings due to Apple's focus on privacy?

Or shortcomings because they thought they knew what users would want to use Siri for, never expecting a) a competitor would release a product that b) went so far beyond in capabilities that Siri was designed to do...

and now Apple is scrambling (still) to catch up.

 

[rfrmac]

I see myself using Siri Shortcuts for only those things that I do over and over again every week. As new third party things are added, maybe a little more.

 

[seatton]

Oh I see.. Siri has a new sugar daddy!

 

[dohspc]

Why doesn't the reviewer just turn on find my friends so his wife can track him ALL THE TIME. Sounds like he is hiding something....

 

[Mike MA]

Since I own two HomePods I’m almost getting mad about Siri’s so called AI.

 

[load97]

Since I own two HomePods I’m almost getting mad about Siri’s so called AI.

Don't own the homepod as we have Sonos systems. I agree though. I'm so disappointed in Siri. My wife who loves her Apple stuff is even disappointed and ATM prefers Amazon Alexa.

 

[mi7chy]

Seems like these one off hirings are a publicity stunt to appease shareholders rather than to actually improve Siri because not much if any has changed...

https://www.reddit.com/r/SiriFail/

 

[Kabeyun]

Giving Siri an education requires this kind of prioritization. Glad to see it happen. The first thing he’ll need to decide is what Siri’s actually supposed to be/do.

 

[H3LL5P4WN]

Every time I try to mentally pronounce his name, I come up with:

 

[Baymowe335]

Shortcomings due to Apple's focus on privacy?

Or shortcomings because they thought they knew what users would want to use Siri for, never expecting a) a competitor would release a product that b) went so far beyond in capabilities that Siri was designed to do...

and now Apple is scrambling (still) to catch up.

Show me one piece of data that indicates any shortcomings in Siri affects Apple's sales or overall strategy.

There is a lot of conjecture that voice assistant superiority means something, but show me the data. I really don't think Apple cares much about what Google Assistant does that incremental to Siri, because it's just not all that useful from a day to day perspective or even that evident to the average user.

Now show me evidence that Apple isn't making huge strides in AI that could be unleashed when it does become important.

 

[swajames]

Apple's hiring of Giannandrea in April came amid ongoing criticism of Siri, which many have claimed has serious shortcomings in comparison to AI offerings from companies like Microsoft, Amazon, and Google due to Apple's focus on privacy.

​

​

Siri has been terrible since launch. Siri's shortcomings are indeed serious, but that's due to more than just Apple's focus on privacy.

The gap between Siri and Google/Alexa/Cortana is largely down to poor execution, not altruism towards the customer.

 

[TimmeyCook]

Seems like these one off hirings are a publicity stunt to appease shareholders rather than to actually improve Siri because not much if any has changed...

https://www.reddit.com/r/SiriFail/

Yes, let’s pretend that Google’s and other competitors things aren’t worse if not equally terrible...

 

[TimmeyCook]

Shortcomings due to Apple's focus on privacy?

Or shortcomings because they thought they knew what users would want to use Siri for, never expecting a) a competitor would release a product that b) went so far beyond in capabilities that Siri was designed to do...

and now Apple is scrambling (still) to catch up.

Because we need google to go through our personal correspondence (including receipts), our personal photos, our web history to do what? Set a timer for 5 minutes, or check if today is going to rain?

The mental gymnastics people go to defend the ways of the big G.

Reminder that there’s nothing that Google Assistant DOES that Siri DOESN’T, reminder that Google Assistant “knows” more things, but also sprouts false information that’s only coming from the first result it finds in a google search.

 

[macduke]

Seems like these one off hirings are a publicity stunt to appease shareholders rather than to actually improve Siri because not much if any has changed...

https://www.reddit.com/r/SiriFail/

Or, you know, you could give the guy more than three freaking months to massively overhaul one of the original AI assistants with one of the largest install bases in the world. Siri shortcuts and integration into third party apps is already one of the biggest leaps forward that I can remember and that's shipping in September. Sure Siri isn't great but give the guy a break. Honestly.

 

[DNichter]

This is good. I am happy with the hire as obviously Google has some smart people, but he will be building services and features that respect their users' privacy and won't be centered around data mining and advertising. I'd think this would be more appealing.

 

[Defthand]

Why aren't they able or willing to call Shortcuts what is? Automator.

There's nothing AI about scripts.

 

[jimbobb24]

I remain unimpressed with everyones "siri". Siri does what I need correctly 95% of the time. I want it to do way more, but no one else service does way more. These technologies are also surprisingly underutilized except for making funny youtube videos. Amazons devices probably get used more than anything else because there is no other interface.

"AI" is more than siri. The photos recognition in Photos (kind of a dumb name for internet searching on fixes or features, right?) is very impressive and when it came out was far ahead. The creation of memories videos is a certain kind of algorithm logic that is impressive. Speech recognition is poor on almost every device. It will get better over time as we apply more brute force solutions and refinements.

 

[synergize]

That movie above gave me a splitting headache, and I need a shortcut to Advil.

 

[DNichter]

Why aren't they able or willing to call Shortcuts what is? Automator.

There's nothing AI about scripts.

It uses AI to serve up automated Siri shortcuts to the user. The shortcuts app is more for power users in my eyes, but will also become a store of sorts. Similar to Alexa skills.

 

[EdT]

Siri has been terrible since launch. Siri's shortcomings are indeed serious, but that's due to more than just Apple's focus on privacy.

The gap between Siri and Google/Alexa/Cortana is largely down to poor execution, not altruism towards the customer.

Let’s say that Siri’s performance IS due to Apple’s concern about privacy. It should have been obvious years ago that they were falling behind in public acceptance and 3rd party adoption and either something done to correct the situation or if that is technically not possible with today’s tech then a full explanation along with proof. I can’t say what Apple was actually thinking but other than making a few ‘Hey Siri’ commercials I don’t think that they did anything.

 

[iriejedi]

When will they update the page with a leader that can take the guts of the iMacPro and put in a box with a video out port?

 

[Rogifan]

John joined Apple in 2018 and oversees the strategy for Artificial Intelligence and machine learning across the company and development of Core ML and Siri technologies.

Yea!!!

 

[CarpalMac]

Yes, let’s pretend that Google’s and other competitors things aren’t worse if not equally terrible...

Lol. They really, really aren't! Nice try though.

 

[ackmondual]

Giannandrea spent eight years at Google before joining Apple, and before that, he founded Tellme Networks and Metaweb Technologies.

Given Google's ahead of the curve concerning the subject matter, that seems to be a boon. He can combine his knowledge with Apple's got going to create something of an improvement

Every time I try to mentally pronounce his name, I come up with:

I knew one guy's whose name sounded waay to similar to arugula, that I ended up saying it that way!