Apple loses another AI exec to Meta | TechCrunch

"Ke Yang, the Apple executive leading the iPhone-maker's efforts to build AI-driven web search, is heading to Meta, according to a Bloomberg report."

"Rouming Pang, Apple's former head of AI models, left for Meta earlier this year. Roughly a dozen team members on Apple's AIML (AI and machine learning) team also left the company. Several members joined Meta's new Superintelligence Labs."

"A few weeks ago, Yang began overseeing the Answers, Knowledge, and Information (AKI) team, which is tasked with improving Siri's functionality by allowing it to pull information from the web so Apple can better compete with rivals in the AI search market, like OpenAI, Perplexity, and Google. The new Siri also promises to be able to tap into personal data for more complex tasks."

Ke Yang is leaving Apple to join Meta, removing a leader of Apple's effort to build AI-driven web search. His exit follows earlier departures, including Rouming Pang and roughly a dozen AIML team members, and several have joined Meta's Superintelligence Labs. Yang had recently begun leading the Answers, Knowledge, and Information (AKI) team to improve Siri by pulling information from the web and enabling use of personal data for more complex tasks. The wave of departures puts the planned March Siri revamp at risk, and remaining Apple AI team members expect further exits. Apple and Meta were contacted for comment.

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