OpenAI Recruits Apple's Head of Hardware for Vision Pro

In recent days, Paul Meade, the vice president of Apple in charge of the Vision Products Group, has decided to leave the company to join the hardware unit of OpenAI, where he will work on the family of AI devices in development. The scoop comes from Bloomberg, signed by Mark Gurman: Meade is set to leave Cupertino by the end of the week, after leading hardware engineering for the Vision Pro for seven years.

Meade's role extended beyond just the headset, as he was also responsible for coordinating Apple's first smart glasses, expected by the end of 2027, and was a key figure in the division dedicated to wearable devices. His career at the company was quite lengthy and fully focused on hardware: he joined in 2010 as the head of iPad, became the head of iPhone program management in 2012, and transitioned to the Vision Products Group in 2017, taking control of the entire hardware engineering group in 2019.

The Rationale Behind His Departure

Meade's departure is a consequence of the hardware engineering reorganization initiated after the appointment of John Ternus as the next CEO of Apple, a reshuffle that left several vice presidents feeling demoted. Johny Srouji, the long-time chip head, has taken over from Ternus as chief hardware officer and has initiated a controversial shake-up, redistributing roles among several VPs.

The practical issue is the new chain of command. With Srouji at the helm of hardware, Meade and several other leaders no longer report directly to him, but to Tom Marieb, the new vice president of hardware engineering, who in turn reports to Srouji. Essentially, many senior executives have found themselves lowered a level in the hierarchy, and Meade's departure is one of the first visible repercussions. Fletcher Rothkopf, his deputy and head of product design function for Vision Pro and smart glasses, will take on most of his responsibilities.

Back to OpenAI, Among Familiar Faces

At OpenAI, Meade finds some old acquaintances: the hardware unit of Sam Altman's company has recently recruited several ex-Apple employees, including Jony Ive, former head of design, Evans Hankey, who led the company's styling for three years following Ive's departure, and Tang Tan.

Meade's departure should be viewed in the context of a talent drain that has been ongoing for months: part of the hardware culture built in Cupertino is shifting towards those who are currently trying to define the category of AI devices, and the consequence is that the "drainage" particularly affects profiles more closely linked to wearable products and design. For Apple, the test now is the adherence to the timeline for the smart glasses, the first device of the new wave expected by the end of 2027, which is effectively entrusted to a reshuffled team.