Apple executive jumps ship: Another Apple executive jumps ship — latest high-profile departure heads straight to OpenAI
Its exit signals a growing shift in Silicon Valley’s talent movement and another major victory for OpenAI.
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Why is Cheng Chen’s departure a big loss for Apple?
Apple’s executive departures continue, and another important name is now heading to OpenAI. According to Bloomberg, Cheng Chen, senior executive of major display technologies, has been hired by the maker of ChatGPT. According to one report, Chen’s expertise included advanced optics at the heart of Apple’s Vision Pro headset, making his debut particularly significant.
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“In a previously unreported development, the AI company is hiring Cheng Chen, Apple’s senior director of display technologies. His remit also included the optics of the Vision Pro headset. Two years ago, OpenAI hired Tang Tan, one of Apple’s top hardware engineering executives,” the report said.
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How is OpenAI expanding beyond software?
The hiring spree shows that OpenAI is moving much deeper into hardware and integrated design. The company is aggressively recruiting experts in fields related to creating next-generation devices and user experiences. It’s already developing AI hardware with former Apple designer Jony Ive, and industry reports say OpenAI has hired dozens of Apple engineers in areas such as iPhone and Mac development, camera systems, silicon design, audio technology and Apple Watch engineering.
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Is Apple facing a deeper leadership crisis?
The exits have raised concerns about a wider leadership vacuum at Apple. Another high-profile figure, Johny Srouji, senior vice president of Hardware Technologies and architect of Apple silicon, informed CEO Tim Cook of his potential departure. His departure at age 61 would remove the technical acumen behind Apple’s proprietary chips that power iPhones, Macs and more, and would form the basis of the company’s enormous valuation and competitive advantage.
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FAQ
Who is the last Apple executive to join? OpenAI?
Cheng Chen, Apple’s senior director of display technologies.
Why are these launches important for Apple?
They underscore the growing leadership gap with the departure of large numbers of senior engineers and managers.
