苹果正经历数十年来最大规模的人事动荡：一周内已有四名直接向 Tim Cook 汇报的高管离任（AI 主管、界面设计主管、总法律顾问、政府事务主管），并面临 Johny Srouji（核心自研芯片体系的架构者）可能离职的重大风险。此波离职叠加 AI 人才流失，已有约十余名高级 AI 研究员及模型负责人（含 Ruoming Pang、Tom Gunter、Frank Chu 等）跳槽至 Meta，导致组织士气低落并加剧对外部技术（如 Google Gemini）的依赖。Siri 重构落后 18 个月，Apple Intelligence 推进受阻，进一步削弱内部信心。
高管层的结构性更替与退休潮集中爆发：COO Jeff Williams 已在 2025 年退休；CFO Luca Maestri 已转入低负荷角色；副总裁 Lisa Jackson 与总法律顾问 Kate Adams 分别将在 2026 年退休。Cook 本人已年满 65 岁，虽短期不会离职，但 succession 规划已持续多年。内部共识认为 50 岁的 John Ternus 是最可能的下一任 CEO，人事权力正向 Ternus、Eddy Cue、Craig Federighi 与新 COO Sabih Khan 四人集中。为挽留 Srouji，Cook 已提出大幅加薪与 CTO 级别晋升可能，但若 Ternus 尚未升任 CEO，此结构难以实现。
工程体系正出现系统性人才外流：Siri、AI 搜索、AI 机器人软件等团队关键成员接连加入 Meta 或 OpenAI；J595（桌面机器人）硬件团队亦有人员转向 OpenAI；界面团队自 2023 年以来持续流失，最终导致 Alan Dye 出走。OpenAI 已挖走数十名苹果工程师，涵盖 iPhone、Mac、硅芯片、Vision Pro 光学等领域，并以超 60 亿美元收购 Jony Ive 的新创公司强化硬件布局。这些数据共同表明苹果在 AI 转型关键期面临结构性“脑流失”风险，组织重建迫在眉睫。
Apple is undergoing its largest personnel disruption in decades: within a week, four executives reporting directly to Tim Cook—heads of AI, interface design, legal, and government affairs—left, while chip chief Johny Srouji is weighing departure. This coincides with an AI talent drain: roughly a dozen senior researchers, including AI models chief Ruoming Pang and others, have moved to Meta, undermining morale and increasing reliance on external systems such as Google’s Gemini. Siri’s overhaul is about 18 months behind schedule, and Apple Intelligence has suffered delays, weakening internal confidence.
Executive turnover reflects a concentrated retirement wave: COO Jeff Williams retired in 2025; CFO Luca Maestri shifted to a reduced role; Lisa Jackson and general counsel Kate Adams will retire by 2026. Cook, now 65, is not expected to depart soon, but succession planning is well underway. Hardware chief John Ternus, age 50, is viewed as the leading CEO candidate, with organizational influence shifting toward Ternus, Eddy Cue, Craig Federighi, and new COO Sabih Khan. Cook is attempting to retain Srouji with enhanced compensation and potential elevation to CTO, though such a structure likely requires Ternus’s promotion to CEO.
Engineering units are experiencing systemic attrition: leaders from Siri, AI search, and robotics software have moved to Meta or OpenAI; the J595 tabletop-robot hardware team has also lost members to OpenAI; the interface organization has seen departures since 2023, culminating in Alan Dye’s exit. OpenAI has hired dozens of Apple engineers across silicon, optics, devices, and Vision Pro, and invested over $6 billion to acquire Jony Ive’s startup to expand hardware ambitions. These trends signal profound “brain drain” risk as Apple enters a critical AI transition, increasing urgency for organizational rebuilding.