Apple just took an understated step that speaks volumes. No big event. No big announcement. A hiring.
Apple hired a Google executive, Lilian Rincon, who previously worked on AI products at the tech giant. This comes after the Cupertino-based tech giant partnered with Google’s Gemini AI to improve its digital assistant, Siri.
It does sound a little odd. Apple and Google. Working together? That’s not really Apple’s historical playbook.
But, frankly, it kind of makes sense.
AI has been a runaway train over the last year. Microsoft, Google, startups, etc., are all moving at a frenetic pace. Apple, not so much. Not “not at all,” just “not so much.” Some would argue “not enough.”
Additionally, there are reports Apple is working on an AI-enabled, standalone version of Siri that would rival products like ChatGPT.
If you’ve tried to use Siri for anything other than setting a timer, you understand. People want digital assistants that work. They don’t want assistants that stop mid-sentence.
So, hiring a Google executive? Yeah, that makes sense. It means Apple is admitting it needs to step up its game.
Some industry watchers think this is a good idea. Others aren’t so sure. There’s an ongoing debate about whether Apple should use third-party AI technology or continue to build its AI stack in-house.
However, Apple rarely moves quickly. The company waits. It watches. Then it pounces when it feels the time is right.
But the time may be now. Lawmakers in the U.S. are already threatening to restrict the building of new AI data centers over energy usage.
So, no, this isn’t just about making Siri better. This is something much bigger.
Ultimately, the hiring of this executive feels like a bellwether moment. Apple is finally taking AI seriously. Not just as a “thing” but as a potential tentpole for its future.
And when Apple does decide to get serious about something … well, you know how that goes.
