Apple wanted to hire former Google Search chief for Siri – Times of India

Apple reportedly tried to poach two top executives for Google’s Search– Ben Gomes and John Giannandrea– responsible for introducing AI-features. While Apple was successful in hiring Giannandrea, who is now taking care of the AI and Apple’s Siri unit, a report by Bloomberg claims that Apple was unsuccessful in its attempt to hire Gomes. This information became public from documents filed by the Department of Justice in the antitrust lawsuit against Google.
Interestingly, the documents don’t mention when Apple was trying to hire Gomes. As per the report by Bloomberg, “The subpoena demanded all documents starting in Jan. 1, 2010, about attempts to recruit employees from Google, Microsoft Corp.’s Bing, Yahoo! Inc. and DuckDuckGo “with expertise or experience in internet search services or search advertising, including: John Giannandrea and Ben Gomes.”
Gomes joined Google in 1999 and became one of the key engineers in Google’s Search division. While Apple doesn’t have a search engine like Google, the attempt by Apple to hire Gomes indicates that Apple may have had plans to take on Google search. Having said that, Apple does provide search services when people use Siri.
The report further added, “While the Justice Department’s suit is centered on Google, Apple has been linked to the case. The department accused the rivals as working as “one company” in their search partnership.”