Apple CEO pushes software chief to speed up AI plans amid fears of falling behind

Breaking News Apple CEO John Ternus has reportedly told software chief Craig Federighi that improving Siri is no longer enough, pressing him to accelerate Apple’s broader artificial intelligence strategy amid concerns the company is falling behind its rivals.

According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Ternus held a closed-door meeting with Federighi in recent weeks to push for a more ambitious AI roadmap. The reported discussion reflects frustration over what Ternus sees as a lack of urgency compared with other technology companies. Apple has not publicly confirmed the meeting or the account of what was said.

The intervention is notable because Ternus only recently became Apple’s chief executive, succeeding Tim Cook in September. It suggests the company’s new leader wants AI to become a bigger priority across Apple’s software rather than remain primarily a project to modernize Siri.

Apple reportedly wants to move beyond Siri improvements

Federighi oversees software engineering and took charge of Apple’s AI efforts after a leadership shake-up last year. The rebuilt Siri AI has since reached customers, with features including personal context, understanding of information on screen and more sophisticated actions in apps. However, those improvements largely remain focused on responding to commands initiated by users.

Apple is now reportedly exploring how Siri could become a more autonomous AI agent capable of following a goal and making progress on tasks without needing a separate instruction at every step. That would put it closer to emerging agent-based services from rival companies. The Apple Post’s guide to Siri AI in iOS 27 details the capabilities available today, which are distinct from the more ambitious direction now under consideration.

Gurman’s reporting indicates that Ternus wants Apple to look further ahead than incremental Siri updates. The company has not announced an autonomous version of Siri, and there is no confirmed release date or final list of features. Any future system would also face challenges around privacy, permissions and how much authority it should have to act on behalf of an iPhone owner.

Inside Apple’s software leadership

Bloomberg also describes friction surrounding Federighi’s management approach. He reportedly takes a close interest in technical decisions and debates proposals in detail, a style that some employees believe leaves limited room for other voices to influence the direction of Apple’s products. That account is based on the report’s sources, not a public assessment by Apple.

Planning horizons are another point of tension. Federighi’s organization is said to work largely within a 12- to 18-month window, while Apple’s hardware teams plan products several years into the future. A shorter software roadmap could make it harder to develop ambitious AI experiences that need sustained coordination across devices, operating systems and services.

The pressure arrives as Apple is also experimenting with how it builds its next operating systems. Bloomberg reports that the first iOS 28 development milestone gives engineers more time for coding and exploration before integrating features into the wider release. The adjustment is a separate part of Apple’s software strategy, and it does not establish which new AI features will ship.

What happens next for Apple’s AI strategy?

Further changes could involve personnel as well as software. Bloomberg reports that Mike Rockwell, Apple’s vice president of Siri engineering and a key figure behind Vision Pro, continues to consider stepping down from his position or leaving the company next year. No departure has been announced, and there is no indication in the reporting that Federighi is preparing to leave.

For Apple customers, the clearest near-term test will be whether the Siri features already introduced and those still in development become reliable, useful parts of everyday work. A more capable autonomous assistant would mark a much larger shift, but Ternus’s reported push is an internal strategic direction rather than a product announcement.

The stakes are growing as rival AI services move from answering questions toward carrying out complex tasks. Under Ternus, Apple now appears to be confronting a larger decision: how quickly it can turn its privacy-focused software and device ecosystem into a platform for the next generation of AI. Whether that urgency translates into new products and features remains to be seen.