Two months after announcing Gemini deal for Siri, Apple hires ex-Google executive to head AI push | Latest News Updates

Apple has hired Lilian Rincon, a veteran Google executive who spent nearly a decade helping build and oversee some of the company’s most prominent AI and consumer products. She will take the role of Vice President of Product Marketing for Artificial Intelligence at the iPhone maker, and will report directly to Apple’s marketing chief Greg “Joz” Joswiak, according to a report by news agency Reuters.In a post on LinkedIn announcing her departure, Rincon described her nine years at Google as “one of the great privileges” of her career, while acknowledging the bittersweet nature of leaving. Here’s what she wrote:Sharing some personal news. After nine incredible years at Google, it’s time for my next chapter.I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity to work with some of the most talented people in the world and to help build products that impact billions. From helping build Google Assistant from zero to one to reimagining the future of shopping in the age of AI, it has truly been one of the great privileges of my career.What I will miss most, though, are the people. I’ve had the honor of working alongside brilliant teammates and leaders who challenged me, inspired me, and made the journey unforgettable.Leaving is never easy, and I feel a mix of gratitude and bittersweetness as I close this chapter. At the same time, I’m incredibly excited about what comes next.

Why this hire matters for Apple

Apple is preparing a significantly improved version of Siri for release later this year, rebuilt using technology from Google’s Gemini AI model. The two companies announced a multi-year collaboration in January, under which the next generation of Apple’s Foundation Models will be based on Gemini and Google’s cloud infrastructure.“Apple and Google have entered into a multi-year collaboration under which the next generation of Apple Foundation Models will be based on Google’s Gemini models and cloud technology. These models will help power future Apple Intelligence features, including a more personalized Siri coming this year,” the companies said in a joint statement.“After careful evaluation, Apple determined that Google’s Al technology provides the most capable foundation for Apple Foundation Models and is excited about the innovative new experiences it will unlock for Apple users. Apple Intelligence will continue to run on Apple devices and Private Cloud Compute, while maintaining Apple’s industry-leading privacy standards,” they added.Apple is expected to announce updated Siri at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference on June 8. The company is expected to open Siri up to multiple AI chatbots at once – Google’s Gemini, Anthropic’s Claude, ChatGPT and potentially others – effectively ending the exclusive arrangement with OpenAI that has been in place since WWDC 2024.

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