Apple taps software veteran to lead Siri and AI development

Apple has appointed Kim Vorrath, a 36-year company veteran, to help improve its artificial intelligence capabilities and Siri digital assistant. According to a Bloomberg report by Mark Gurman, Vorrath joins Apple’s AI division as a top deputy to AI chief John Giannandrea. The move comes as Apple aims to catch up with competitors like OpenAI, Meta, and Google in AI development. Vorrath, known for managing complex software projects and fixing troubled products, previously helped launch the Vision Pro headset and led the original iPhone software team. In her new role, she will oversee the revamping of Siri’s infrastructure and the improvement of Apple’s in-house AI models. The company plans to release an updated version of Siri in April 2024 with enhanced query responses and screen awareness capabilities.