Apple appoints AI chief, who recently joined from Google, to exec team

Apple on Thursday said John Giannandrea, the company's recently appointed senior vice president of artificial intelligence and machine learning strategy, is now part of the company's executive team. He reports to Apple CEO Tim Cook. Apple's move comes as the company looks to raise its profile in AI, alongside Amazon, Facebook, Google and Microsoft. "John hit the ground running at Apple and we are thrilled to have him as part of our executive team," Cook said in a statement. "Machine learning and AI are important to Apple's future as they are fundamentally changing the way people interact with technology, and already helping our customers live better lives. We're fortunate to have John, a leader in the AI industry, driving our efforts in this critical area."