Apple poaches Google's AI chief John Giannandrea

John Giannandrea, the former head of Google's Artificial intelligence department has joined Apple. The hiring was first reported by The New York Times. The Times report said that Giannandrea will be leading Apple's Machine Learning (ML) and AI strategy.

Giannandrea will now report directly to Apple CEO Tim Cook. In a note to employees reported by the Times, Cook said, "Our technology must be infused with the values we all hold dear. John shares our commitment to privacy and our thoughtful approach as we make computers even smarter and more personal."

As part of his new responsibility leading Apple’s machine learning and AI strategy, Giannandrea will influence products like Core ML for iOS app developers, AI chip that's reportedly under development, as well as the struggling Siri assistant.

Giannandrea had been at Google since 2010 and in 2016 he began to head Google's search team. While at Google, Giannandrea oversaw the implementation of AI-powered features for Gmail, search engine, and virtual assistant offerings as the company began to market itself as an “AI-first” company. He is being replaced by Jeff Dean, who co-founded Google Brain.