Apple Cuts 200+ Jobs in Vision Pro and Siri Teams to Pivot Toward AI

Apple has laid off more than 200 employees across its Siri, Vision Pro, and software teams. The move signals a sharp strategic pivot as the company redirects resources away from niche spatial computing projects to compete in the generative AI race.

According to reports from Bloomberg, The Verge, and 9to5Mac, the workforce reductions specifically target the Vision Pro ecosystem. Apple is largely shutting down a dedicated gaming team for the headset and significantly reducing the size of the team responsible for immersive content. These cuts come as the company re-evaluates its investment in high-end spatial computing following challenges in achieving mainstream adoption for the expensive device.

A Shift in Priorities

This restructuring is not merely a cost-cutting exercise but a reallocation of talent toward Apple's most urgent competitive threats. The company is shifting its focus toward generative AI and the exploration of new device categories, including the potential development of smart glasses.

Internal movements further underscore this priority shift. Mike Rockwell, the original architect of the Vision Pro, was moved out of his hardware role in March 2025. Rockwell was reassigned to lead efforts in fixing Siri, highlighting the company's desire to integrate advanced AI capabilities into its primary virtual assistant to keep pace with industry rivals.

The Retreat from Spatial Gaming

For the industry, these layoffs represent a significant strategic retreat from the "spatial computing" gaming and content ecosystem Apple initially promised. By dismantling the gaming team and scaling back immersive video efforts, Apple is signaling that the immediate expansion of the VR/AR headset market is secondary to the AI race.

While the Vision Pro remains a technological milestone, the lack of a robust, mainstream gaming library has hindered its growth. By moving top engineering talent from the headset to Siri, Apple is betting that AI-driven utility will provide more immediate value to its massive install base than high-end immersive entertainment.

What to Watch

As Apple continues to reorganize, the industry will be watching for how these changes manifest in the next iteration of Siri. The integration of generative AI is expected to be the centerpiece of Apple's software strategy moving forward.

It remains to be seen if the Vision Pro will receive a revised roadmap or if it will transition into a more specialized enterprise tool. For now, the company's trajectory is clear: the future of the Apple ecosystem is being built on the foundation of artificial intelligence rather than the immediate proliferation of spatial headsets.