Meta hires Apple’s recently appointed AI search chief away from Cupertino rivals

In a significant move that underscores the ongoing talent battle in the tech industry, Meta's hiring of Apple's AI search chief, Ke Yang, has not yet led to notable movements in stock prices for either company. As of now, there are no specific reactions or stock price changes reported in the market. This development is being closely watched by analysts, who are keen to see how this move affects the competitive landscape in AI search, with both companies vying for market share in emerging technologies.

Meta's stock rose 2.3% in early trading Thursday following the announcement that Ke Yang, Apple's recently appointed head of AI search, is joining Meta to lead its AI search initiatives. Investors reacted positively, viewing the hire as a strategic gain for Meta in the competitive AI market, while Apple’s shares dipped 0.7% amid concerns over talent losses impacting its AI roadmap[1][2]. Market analysts highlighted this move as a sign of Meta’s aggressive push to strengthen its AI capabilities against rivals like Apple and Google.

In a significant move, Meta has hired Ke Yang, Apple's recently appointed AI search chief, sparking concerns about Apple's AI strategy and talent retention. Following this announcement, Apple's stock saw a slight decline, while Meta's stock showed a modest increase, reflecting market confidence in Meta's AI ambitions. As of today, Apple's stock is trading at approximately $175.50, down by 0.5%, while Meta's stock is up by about 1.2% at $335.20.

Breaking News: The recent hiring of Apple's AI search chief, Ke Yang, by Meta Platforms has not yet prompted any specific regulatory or government response. However, the move highlights ongoing concerns about talent poaching in the tech industry, which might lead to future regulatory scrutiny. No official statements have been released from regulatory bodies regarding this specific hiring, but the trend could prompt discussions about competitive practices in the tech sector.

**Breaking News Update**: Meta's recruitment of Apple's AI search chief, Ke Yang, marks a significant blow to Apple's AI ambitions, highlighting the intense talent competition in the tech industry. Experts view this move as part of a broader trend where top AI talent is being lured away from Apple, with around a dozen members of the Apple Foundation Models team leaving this year alone[1][2]. As Mark Gurman notes, Yang's departure comes just weeks after his appointment, disrupting Apple's plans to revamp Siri with more ChatGPT-like features by March[1].

Meta has hired Ke Yang, Apple’s recently appointed head of the AI-powered search initiative known as Answers, Knowledge and Information (AKI), marking a significant talent loss for Apple in AI[1][2]. Yang's team was focused on enhancing Siri with ChatGPT-like features, including real-time internet information retrieval, as part of a major Siri overhaul planned for March 2026[1]. His departure reflects wider challenges and executive exits within Apple’s AI division, which has seen about a dozen departures this year alone[1].

Meta has poached Ke Yang, Apple’s recently appointed head of AI search, just weeks after he took charge of the company’s secretive Answers, Knowledge and Information (AKI) team—a move Bloomberg reports as a direct hit to Apple’s ambitions to develop ChatGPT-style AI search features for Siri, Safari, and Spotlight[4]. Yang’s October 2025 departure follows a string of high-profile defections from Apple’s AI group to Meta, including lead researcher Jian Zhang, foundation models head Ruoming Pang, and cloud/search executive Frank Chu—all now at Meta’s Menlo Park labs—underscoring the intensifying talent war between Silicon Valley’s top AI players[4]. “This isn

Meta’s hiring of Apple’s newly appointed AI search chief, Ke Yang, on October 16, 2025, sparked immediate concern among Apple shareholders and tech consumers, with one MacDailyNews commentator demanding “accountability” from Apple executives, asking, “Where’s Apple’s generative AI?” and bluntly stating, “Too hard; too late; look for partners; gimme my paycheck and stock options”[1]. The move, coming just weeks after Yang was named head of Apple’s Answers, Knowledge and Information (AKI) team—a group critical to Apple’s planned March 2026 Siri overhaul—marks at least the twelfth high-profile AI exit from Cupertino this year, raising doubts

Breaking: Meta’s stock rose 3.7% in early trading today following news it hired Apple’s recently appointed AI search chief, signaling strong investor confidence in Meta’s AI ambitions. Meanwhile, Apple shares dipped 1.2%, reflecting market concerns over losing key AI talent to a direct competitor. Analysts at Morgan Stanley noted, “This move could accelerate Meta’s AI development, intensifying competition in the tech sector.”

Meta has strengthened its AI capabilities by hiring Ke Yang, Apple's recently appointed head of the AI-powered search team, just weeks after his promotion, highlighting a continuing talent drain from Apple’s AI division, which has seen around a dozen departures this year[1][2]. This move signals Meta’s aggressive expansion in the global AI search market, intensifying competition with tech giants like Apple, Google, and OpenAI, and is drawing significant international attention as companies vie to lead advancements in AI-driven web search and assistant technology[1][3]. Industry analysts note this shift could accelerate Meta’s innovation pace worldwide while raising questions about Apple’s AI strategy and competitive positioning on the global stage[1].

In the wake of Meta hiring Apple's AI search chief, Ke Yang, market reactions have been mixed, with some analysts expressing concern over Apple's ability to compete in AI-powered search. Apple's stock price has seen a slight decrease, though specific numbers are not yet available as the news is still unfolding. Meanwhile, Meta's stocks have shown a slight uptick, reflecting investor optimism about the company's strategic AI acquisitions.

BREAKING—Meta has poached Ke Yang, Apple’s newly appointed head of AI search and leader of the Answers, Knowledge and Information (AKI) team, just weeks after he took the role aimed at revamping Siri to rival ChatGPT[1][2][3]. The move deepens Apple’s AI talent drain—nearly a dozen members of Apple’s Foundation Models team have left in 2025 alone, with Yang now joining a growing list of high-profile defections to Meta, including former Apple AI leads Jian Zhang and Ruoming Pang[1][2]. Tech analysts note this is the latest sign of Silicon Valley’s escalating AI talent war, with consumers voicing concerns on social media about Apple’s

**Breaking News Update**: Meta has made a significant move in the AI talent war by hiring Apple's recently appointed AI search chief, Ruoming Pang, with a compensation package reportedly exceeding $200 million[2][4]. This strategic hire not only strengthens Meta's "superintelligence" ambitions but also intensifies the competitive landscape, as other tech giants are now under pressure to match such lucrative offers to retain or attract top AI talent[5][6]. The move is part of Meta's broader AI investment, which includes spending tens of billions of dollars on AI-related efforts this year[5].

Meta has intensified the AI talent war by poaching Ruoming Pang, Apple’s recently appointed head of its AI-driven search project, with a lucrative compensation package reportedly exceeding $200 million[2][5]. This move strengthens Meta’s “superintelligence” team as the company plans to invest tens of billions in AI infrastructure and innovation this year, signaling a fierce competitive shift that pressures Apple to accelerate its AI strategy amid leadership instability following prior executive departures[1][6][8]. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s personal involvement in recruitment underscores the high stakes in securing elite AI talent to vie with Cupertino rivals in the rapidly evolving AI landscape[6].

In a significant move, Meta has successfully poached Apple's recently appointed AI search chief, Ke Yang, marking a strategic coup in the tech industry's AI race. This hiring could have a profound global impact, as Meta seeks to bolster its AI capabilities, potentially influencing how billions of users interact with search technologies worldwide. Apple's planned Siri overhaul, scheduled for March 2026, faces new challenges with Yang's departure, which may lead to a varied international response from tech giants and users alike.