Following its efforts to avoid layoffs last year, Apple has made the difficult decision to shut down its Siri and artificial intelligence division in San Diego. The division, known as Data Operations Annotations, employed 121 individuals who now face the risk of losing their jobs unless they relocate to another city.
Initially, employees were informed that they would be moving within San Diego. However, they were later surprised to learn that the relocation would actually be to Austin, Texas. While some employees are willing to make the move, others find it impractical and have expressed concerns about their eligibility for other job opportunities within Apple.
Those who choose to relocate will have the opportunity to continue in their current roles at Apple. To make the transition easier, Apple is offering $7,000 stipends to those who decide to move to Austin. Employees who opt not to relocate will receive four weeks of severance pay, an additional week for every year worked at the company, and six months of continued health insurance.
While Apple has not stated the specific reasons behind this decision, speculation suggests that it could be related to the upcoming launch of the company’s own Large Language Model known as “Apple GPT.” Reports indicate that Apple may release its rival to ChatGPT in June or July.
As the affected employees in San Diego weigh their options, time is of the essence. They have until the end of February to make their decision before potentially facing termination in April.
The source of the article is from the blog radardovalemg.com