Apple is undergoing a sweeping leadership shake-up, as one of its most influential hardware executives reportedly considers leaving — a sign of mounting internal turbulence even as the company faces fierce pressure to catch up in artificial intelligence and hardware innovation.

Johny Srouji, Apple’s Senior Vice President for Hardware Technologies and the architect behind its custom chips from iPhone to Mac, has informed Chief Executive Tim Cook that he is “seriously evaluating” his future at the company.

The news follows a string of high-profile exits and retirements that have rattled the company’s upper ranks.

Among them are the recent departures of the AI chief, the head of global design, and other senior leaders in legal, environmental policy, retail, and marketing.

Analysts say this marks the most dramatic executive turnover Apple has seen in years.

Srouji, widely recognised as the creative force behind Apple’s transition to Apple Silicon — including the M-series chips that power Mac computers — helped build and oversee the firm’s major development centres in Israel.

His potential exit raises deep questions about Apple’s long-term strategy, especially given the importance of in-house silicon and the global competition for chip innovation.

Internal documents and public reporting show that Apple is now redistributing many duties previously held by retirees and those departing.

Services head Eddy Cue is to take on oversight of health and fitness divisions, while software boss Craig Federighi will drive wearable software development and hardware chief John Ternus will lead Apple Watch hardware engineering.

The exodus reflects growing frustration within Apple’s ranks over delays in AI development, including repeated postponements of promised upgrades to the voice assistant and broader machine-learning tools.

Industry watchers, long accustomed to Apple’s stability, now speak of a company at a crossroads — forced to refashion its leadership as it confronts new rivals, evolving technology standards, and urgent demands to deliver generative AI and next-generation devices.

For Apple watchers, the critical question now is whether the remaining leadership can maintain continuity and momentum.

If Srouji does leave, the loss will be felt especially in Apple’s chip division — a pillar of its identity and competitive edge.

As Apple braces for further changes, the company’s ability to adapt quickly will determine whether it sustains its reputation for engineering excellence or succumbs to the instability of a tech industry in flux.