Apple CEO John Ternus held a closed-door meeting in recent weeks with Senior Vice President of Software Engineering Craig Federighi, pressing him to speed up the company’s artificial intelligence roadmap and move past basic Siri updates. The push comes as Apple revamps its engineering schedule for iOS 28 and preps deeper third-party app controls for iPhone, iPad, and Mac users starting in spring 2027.
Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, cited by 9to5Mac on Sunday, reported that Ternus wants Apple’s software division to move toward autonomous AI agents, tools that handle multi-step tasks across apps without constant user prompts. “In recent weeks, Ternus held a closed-door meeting with Craig Federighi, who became Apple’s AI czar following last year’s dismissal of its former AI leader. Desiring more and frustrated by what he sees as a reluctance to embrace AI with the same urgency as competitors, Ternus pushed his software chief to accelerate the company’s road map and move quickly beyond merely making necessary improvements to Siri,” Gurman wrote.
For Apple users, the internal pressure directly affects how quickly iPhones and Macs get hands-free AI tools and how much they cost. On Apple’s November 2 earnings call, Ternus expressed optimism about the company’s AI business while noting that features relying on heavy server-side models, such as Siri AI and intelligent photo editing, will carry usage limits alongside paid tiers for expanded access.
Inside the iOS 28 Pipeline Overhaul and Roadmap Friction
To deliver features faster, Apple is testing a revamped development schedule for its 28-generation operating systems, including iOS 28. Improved internal coding agents (automated tools that help write and check software) now allow Apple to spend less time merging code and give engineers 50% more time, or roughly six extra weeks, to build and test new features, according to AppleInsider.
Part of the tension between Ternus and Federighi stems from how Apple’s hardware and software teams plan their calendars. Ternus, who previously led Apple’s hardware engineering division before succeeding Tim Cook as CEO earlier in 2026, is used to multi-year hardware roadmaps. Federighi typically maps out software on a 12-to-18-month cycle.
Inside the software group, Federighi’s tight control over product decisions has also drawn scrutiny. “Federighi is known for taking an especially hands-on role in meetings and major decisions, with some employees describing a management style that can leave little room for competing ideas to gain traction. He is also known for vigorously debating opposing viewpoints, using his command of technical details and ability to argue his position to push back against proposals he disagrees with. That approach has at times frustrated members of the software engineering and design teams, some of whom believe they have limited influence over the direction of products,” Gurman reported.
Potential Siri Leadership Changes and What Comes Next
Despite the friction, there is no sign that Federighi plans to leave Apple, and he has made creating a succession plan a very low priority. Within the company, some employees view Federighi’s deputy Sebastien Marineau, who leads teams integrating AI into iOS, as a potential eventual successor, according to iClarified.
Leadership turnover could still hit the Siri team in 2027. Federighi took over Apple’s AI efforts last year after former AI chief John Giannandrea was sidelined, partnering with Vision Pro creator Mike Rockwell to ship the rebuilt Siri beta in September 2026 with personal context, onscreen awareness, and in-app actions.
“The management concerns go beyond Federighi. Mike Rockwell, who created the Vision Pro headset in addition to leading the development of Siri AI, continues to seriously consider stepping down. That could mean leaving his role as vice president of Siri engineering — or Apple altogether — next year. Such a move would be a major blow, given his role in bringing the new Siri to market after an embarrassing two-year delay,” Gurman wrote. Bloomberg previously reported in April 2026 that Rockwell had reservations about reporting to Federighi, and if he departs or changes roles next year, his responsibilities would likely go to Marineau and Apple AI Vice President Amar Subramanya, a former Google executive.
Apple has not publicly commented on the reported meeting between Ternus and Federighi. On the software calendar, expanded third-party App Intents, the framework that lets Siri control specific actions inside outside apps, remain on track for a preview in spring 2027, potentially arriving in iOS 27.5 or iOS 27.6 ahead of WWDC 2027.