In a significant organizational shift, Apple is set to disband a 121-person team dedicated to enhancing Siri’s capabilities, with the team based in San Diego facing either relocation or termination. Employees have until the end of February to decide whether to move to Austin, Texas, where they would merge with the Texas section of the same team.
This decision impacts Apple’s global presence, as the affected group has offices in China, India, Ireland, and Spain. Apple’s spokeswoman confirmed the consolidation of “Data Operations Annotations teams in the US” at their Austin campus, posing the risk of several dozen workers leaving the company. Notably, Apple, with 161,000 employees as of September, has largely avoided layoffs during the pandemic, distinguishing itself from many tech peers.
The restructuring not only affects U.S. teams but also extends to Apple’s international offices involved in AI development. This move signifies a strategic concentration of AI expertise at the Austin campus, potentially fostering innovation and collaboration among the reorganized teams.