Apple Inc. (AAPL.US) calms down key personnel turmoil, chip leader denies recent rumors of resignation

Apple Inc. Chip Department Head Johny Srouji informed employees on Monday that he will continue to stay at the iPhone manufacturer. Media reports over the weekend suggested that Srouji had expressed intentions to leave the company, hinting that he might move to another tech firm. In a memo to department employees, he said, "I know you have been following various rumors and speculations about my future at Apple Inc., and I think you should get the news directly from me. I love my team, and I love my job at Apple Inc., and I have no plans to leave in the short term." Sources revealed that Srouji, who serves as the Senior Vice President of Hardware Technology, had indeed been seriously considering leaving. The risk of his potential departure could exacerbate the frequent turnover of top executives at the company. These sources say that CEO Tim Cook is facing significant changes in the company's top positions, but he is actively working to retain Srouji. They mentioned that Cook's strategy includes offering generous compensation and promising more responsibilities in the future. Srouji has been responsible for Apple Inc.'s transition to its own chipset and is highly respected in the industry. In the memo on Monday, he expressed pride in the technologies that Apple Inc. is developing, including displays, cameras, sensors, chips, and batteries. Currently, Apple Inc. is undergoing its largest personnel shakeup in decades, with high-level executives and key engineers leaving in droves, disrupting the tech giant's power structure and talent base. Recently, the head of artificial intelligence and the head of interface design at Apple Inc. have resigned, and the general counsel and head of government affairs have announced their upcoming retirements. The recent wave of departures at Apple Inc. has sparked deep concerns in the market about the "brain drain," especially at a crucial moment when the company needs to catch up with competitors in the field of artificial intelligence. A large number of top AI talents are heading towards Meta, OpenAI, and various startups, which could further hinder Apple Inc.'s efforts to catch up in the era of generative AI, as the company is currently lagging behind other tech giants in this area.