Apple hires former head of Google’s AI division

Apple has hired the former head of Google’s artificial intelligence and search division. This is likely a move to accelerate development of Siri, Apple’s digital voice assistant.

Giannandrea will lead Apple’s division called Machine learning and ai strategy, becoming one of 16 executives reporting directly to CEO Tim Cook. In an email to Apple employees, which The New York Times has seen, Cook said Giannandrea shares Apple’s commitment to privacy and endorses Apple’s “thoughtful approach to making computers even smarter and more personal.”

John Giannandrea left Google in February, splitting his division into an artificial intelligence arm and a search engine specific arm. TechCrunch previously stated that Giannandrea’s views on AI are characterized by a pragmatic approach, taking the ethical side very seriously and, for example, not believing in apocalyptic doomsday scenarios.

Apple’s newest employee joined Google in 2010 when the search giant acquired Metaweb. Giannandrea served as chief technology officer there. According to Metaweb, it built a database with the knowledge of the world, which was used by Google for its services to answer questions from users. Under Giannandrea’s leadership, AI became an increasingly important topic within Google, helping to integrate AI into various Google services, such as Assistant.