Apple is currently struggling with a major internal challenge as dozens of its highly talented employees are jumping ship. Apple is reportedly losing its top engineering talent to major rivals in the AI sector, most notably OpenAI and Meta Platforms. This talent outflow, involving key engineers and designers, is forcing the Cupertino tech giant to re-evaluate its strategy for retaining critical technical staff amidst the global shift towards generative AI.
The talent loss is not limited to junior positions. According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, professionals with deep knowledge in specialised hardware and software components, including audio technology, watch design, and robotics, are leaving the company. This loss of specialised talent isn’t good as Apple works to integrate advanced AI into its next-generation devices and services, as it faces heightened pressure from competitors already defining the pace of innovation in the evolving AI market.
Apple loses its niche engineering talent
The outflow of technical talent is happening against a backdrop of major organisational change at Apple. Over the last 18 months, the company has seen several high-profile executive transitions, including the announced retirements of its general counsel and its vice president for environment and policy. Most significantly, the company’s longtime machine learning chief recently retired, prompting Apple to hire former Microsoft and Google veteran Amar Subramanya as a replacement.
While these executive moves are often long-planned, the simultaneous departure of dozens of engineers and designers creates a perception of instability within the company, thus urging a shift toward more focused AI opportunities.
The engineers leaving Apple possess essential expertise needed for building out the company’s rumoured AI-enhanced operating systems and hardware, making their loss difficult, eventually impacting long-term project timelines. As Apple struggles to demonstrate a clear, unified AI vision, the top engineering talent is migrating toward environments where the technology is the top priority.
The irresistible lure of AI
The primary motivation driving Apple employees toward companies like OpenAI is said to be the promise of working on cutting-edge, AI-first projects with fewer internal constraints and a clear mission focused solely on the technology’s frontier. OpenAI, for example, offers the opportunity to contribute directly to foundational models and highly visible consumer products like ChatGPT.
Additionally, the competitive compensation packages offered by these aggressively growing firms, often sweetened with large stock options, are proving to be a powerful draw for Apple’s experienced workforce. Engineers migrating to these AI firms often command huge salary premiums and the chance to accelerate their careers within a rapidly expanding sector. Meta had done the same earlier this year with its Meta Superintelligence Labs, poaching top talent from its rivals.
