New York: In a significant move, Apple is set to disband a 121-person team dedicated to enhancing Siri, a decision that could potentially lead to job losses for several employees, according to reports from Bloomberg.
The team, currently situated in San Diego, has been instructed to relocate to Austin and integrate with the Texas segment of the same team. Apple has conveyed to employees that they must decide on the relocation by the end of February. Those unwilling to move will face termination on April 26.
This restructuring impacts a group with offices spread across China, India, Ireland, and Spain. The move to centralize operations in Austin is part of Apple’s broader strategy to consolidate its Data Operations Annotations teams in the United States.
An Apple spokesperson confirmed the decision, stating, “We are bringing our Data Operations Annotations teams in the US together at our campus in Austin, where a majority of the team is already based.” The consolidation could result in the departure of several dozen workers.
Apple, with a workforce of 161,000 employees as of September, has notably avoided large-scale layoffs during the pandemic, distinguishing itself from many of its tech counterparts.
