Who Is Amar Subramanya, Indian-Origin PhD Now Shaping Apple's Next Big AI Leap?

Amar Subramanya, an Indian-origin AI researcher, has been appointed Apple's new Vice President of AI, succeeding John Giannandrea. He will oversee Apple Foundation Models, machine learning research, and AI safety.

Apple's announcement that John Giannandrea will step down as Senior Vice President for Machine Learning and AI Strategy sent ripples through the tech world. While Giannandrea will continue as an advisor until his retirement in spring 2026, it was the name of his successor that immediately grabbed attention: Amar Subramanya, an Indian-origin AI researcher known for turning complex machine learning research into products millions use daily.

Subramanya has joined Apple as Vice President of AI, reporting to Senior Vice President Craig Federighi. His portfolio is vast, Apple Foundation Models, machine learning research, and AI Safety and Evaluation. In short, he will help shape the intelligence behind the next generation of iPhones, Macs, and Apple services.

Apple CEO Tim Cook welcomed him warmly, saying, "AI has long been central to Apple's strategy, and we are pleased to welcome Amar… and bring his extraordinary AI expertise to Apple."

Roots in Bangalore, dreams beyond borders

Long before leading global AI teams, Subramanya was just another curious engineering student in Bangalore. Between 1997 and 2001, he studied Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering at Bangalore University, right at the time when India's tech sector was witnessing its biggest boom.

Those early years sparked his fascination with how machines understand speech, images, and signals. Friends recall him as someone who always wanted to dig deeper into how things worked, a trait that would eventually guide him across continents and into the heart of Silicon Valley's AI revolution.

A PhD that changed everything

After Bangalore, Subramanya moved to the University of Washington to pursue a PhD in Computer Science. Here, he immersed himself in semi-supervised learning—building AI systems that could learn even when labelled data was limited. He also explored early multimodal AI, teaching systems to interpret both speech and visuals simultaneously.

His research stood out. In 2007, he received the prestigious Microsoft Research Graduate Fellowship, and by the time he completed his PhD in 2009, he had earned a reputation as someone who combined theory with practical, scalable solutions—an ability rare even today.

Early industry years: Building the foundations

Before the tech giants came calling, Subramanya gained hands-on experience at IBM as a software engineer. He later joined Microsoft Research as an intern and visiting researcher, working on speech, audio-visual models, and foundational machine learning concepts.

These early roles helped him understand not just how to train models, but how to make them work reliably in real-world systems—skills that would later define his approach to AI leadership.

Sixteen years at Google: From research to real-world impact

In 2009, Subramanya joined Google, marking the beginning of a transformative chapter. Over 16 years, he rose through the ranks to become Vice President of Engineering. He led the team behind the Gemini Assistant and contributed across areas such as natural language processing, entity understanding, and multimodal AI.

His superpower at Google was his ability to bridge the gap between academic research and large-scale product deployment. Under his leadership, research didn't stay locked inside labs, it reached billions through everyday products.

A short but influential stint at Microsoft

In July 2025, Subramanya moved to Microsoft as Corporate Vice President of AI. He worked on integrating foundation models into products like Microsoft Copilot and scaled AI systems across the company's ecosystem.

Though his time at Microsoft was brief, it reinforced his image as a strategic leader who could guide teams at the highest level and align AI research with business vision.

The Apple chapter begins

Apple's decision to bring in Subramanya comes at a defining moment. As Giannandrea prepares to step back, Subramanya steps in to lead some of Apple's most critical AI initiatives. While Sabih Khan and Eddy Cue will oversee other parts of the AI organisation, Subramanya will focus on advancing Apple Foundation Models and strengthening AI safety and evaluation frameworks.

For Apple, it's a chance to inject fresh energy and new thinking into its AI roadmap. For Subramanya, it's an opportunity to influence how billions of users interact with Apple devices in the years ahead.