Apple has supposedly informed employees (AI Team) that they must decide on relocation by the end of February.
Earlier this month, Apple provided packing boxes to employees, stating that those who don’t relocate by April 26 will face termination. Employees were also informed about the option to apply for other positions within the company.
Apple is shutting down its 121-person Data Operations Annotations team in San Diego, focusing on artificial intelligence operations. Employees are at risk of termination unless they relocate to Austin and merge with the Texas segment of the same team.
The decision, not yet officially announced, was conveyed to the team on Wednesday. Apple distributed packing boxes earlier this month, emphasizing the relocation deadline by April 26.
While the company allows employees to apply for other positions, the move raises concerns about potential job losses and the impact on the affected workforce in the AI sector.
The affected group, with offices in China, India, Ireland, and Spain, plays a key role in enhancing Siri.
They assess queries to the voice service, ensuring accurate hearing and handling of questions. Christine DeFilippo, a top deputy to Apple AI chief John Giannandrea, reportedly announced the closure of the San Diego team.
This move signals a strategic shift within Apple’s AI operations and raises questions about the future development and management of Siri.
An Apple spokeswoman confirmed the relocation decision, saying the company is bringing its “Data Operations Annotations teams in the US together at our campus in Austin, where a majority of the team is already based.” She added that “everyone currently employed will have the opportunity to continue their role with Apple in Austin.”
The company also said it’s “deeply committed to San Diego,” where it has “grown significantly,” and that it is continuing to hire as Apple expands its engineering teams. In other countries where the affected team operates, Apple keeps all the employees in one office.
The relocation decision caught the San Diego staff by surprise. The AI team, operating from a rented office, was informed that they would move to a new Apple campus in the area by the end of January.
Apple had distributed packing boxes earlier this month, signaling preparations for the impending relocation within the city.
The sudden change in plans may have added uncertainty and concerns among employees, who were initially anticipating a move to a new campus but are now faced with the unexpected closure of the team.
Contrary to the earlier plan of relocating within the city, the San Diego employees are now required to move to Texas, particularly Austin. Sources suggest that most affected workers are hesitant to make the move.
While Apple has allowed employees to apply for other positions, some are concerned about eligibility, especially those without engineering backgrounds.
The San Diego team specialized in Siri use across languages like Hebrew, English, and various dialects of Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, and French, highlighting the diverse linguistic focus of their work within the AI domain.
The decision to move the San Diego AI team to Austin poses a potential risk of losing several dozen workers, marking a departure from the company’s trend of avoiding layoffs during the pandemic.
With around 161,000 employees as of September, the company has been relatively resilient compared to its tech counterparts. However, it did trim corporate retail jobs and some recruiting positions last April.
Employees willing to relocate to Austin by the end of June can retain their roles, supported by a $7,000 relocation stipend.
Those opting to leave will face role eliminations but receive four weeks of severance, with an additional week for each year of service. Additionally, departing employees will be provided with six months of health insurance, outlining Apple’s approach to managing the transition for its workforce.
Apple is expected to unveil its plans regarding large language models in June, according to reports from Bloomberg News.
