3 6 Ke·2025-09-04 09:30Core Insights - Apple's AI department is facing a significant talent exodus, with key members, including Jian Zhang, leaving for competitors like Meta and OpenAI, raising concerns about the company's AI strategy and product development [1][3][9] Group 1: Talent Exodus - Jian Zhang, head of the robotics AI research team, is among four key members who have confirmed their departure from Apple, joining Meta as the Director of Robotics Technology [3][8] - Since Meta initiated a talent acquisition strategy in Silicon Valley, Apple has lost at least 10 AI talents, including former Foundation Models team leader, Pang Ruoming, who reportedly received a compensation package exceeding $200 million from Meta [3][9] - The ongoing talent drain is occurring during a critical phase for Apple's AI initiatives, particularly the development of the "Apple Intelligence" suite and the next-generation Siri, leading to uncertainty in technology development and product rollout [3][9] Group 2: Strategic Challenges - Apple's AI department is experiencing a "crisis of confidence" due to internal discussions about relying on third-party models for the next-generation Siri instead of fully developing in-house solutions, which has frustrated engineers [9][10] - The departure of Pang Ruoming, viewed as a pivotal figure in Apple's AI strategy, has weakened team morale and internal confidence, exacerbating the ongoing talent loss [10][12] - The restructuring of Siri's "V2" architecture has been described as chaotic, delaying advanced features until at least 2026, further contributing to the team's dissatisfaction [12][14] Group 3: Cultural and Organizational Issues - Apple's closed culture and bureaucratic processes are seen as hindrances to innovation, contrasting with the open collaboration that characterizes the AI industry [14][15] - The AI and machine learning teams are perceived as "second-class citizens" within the company, facing resource allocation challenges compared to hardware and product departments, which intensifies internal tensions [14][15] - To address these issues, Apple needs to enhance its incentive mechanisms, upgrade its data center infrastructure, streamline internal processes, and consider a more open approach to research collaboration [15]