"Seismic shift": Apple's chief interface designer will leave for Meta. What it means

Meta Platforms, which owns social networks Facebook and Instagram, has poached one of Apple's chief designers - head of user interfaces Alan Dai, Bloomberg reported. This move confirms the seriousness of Meta's intentions in developing a line of consumer devices with artificial intelligence, and for Apple was another loss in the ranks of managers.

At Meta, Alan Dai will take over the position of design director from December 31, Bloomberg sources claim. The designer will be responsible for the design of software and hardware, as well as for the integration of AI into user interfaces, the agency reports. Dai will report to Meta's CTO Andrew Bosworth, who oversees the Reality Labs division responsible for development of wearable devices, including Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses and virtual reality headsets.

Dai's main task will be to rethink Meta's consumer devices with a focus on artificial intelligence features, Bloomberg claims. Along with Day, his deputy Billy Sorrentino, who has held a senior position in Apple's design department since 2016, is also joining Meta, the agency said.

Apple officially confirmed Dai's move to Meta in comments to Bloomberg and Reuters.

According to Reuters, Dai has worked at Apple since 2006, and since 2015 he headed the interface design team. Dai's successor will be Steven Leme, a company veteran who has worked at Apple since 1999, Bloomberg reports.

Bloomberg called Dai's move to Meta a "seismic shift" in Silicon Valley and a "major loss" for Apple. In 2019, after the firing of legendary designer Jony Ive, it was Dai who became one of the key architects of the look and feel and logic of the company's operating systems, apps and devices, Bloomberg writes. He led the creation of interfaces for the Vision Pro augmented reality helmet, the redesign of the iOS operating system, as well as developing the look of the Apple Watch and iPhone X - the company's first smartphone without a button under the screen. His team also worked on new smart devices for the home.

Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams and AI chief John Gianandrea have also left Apple in recent weeks. Former hardware chief Dan Riccio also left last fall. According to Bloomberg, head of processor development Joni Srouji and vice president of environmental policy Lisa Jackson are also considering quitting.

In trading on Wednesday, December 3, shares of Apple fell by 0.7% to $284.1. Meta shares also fell by 1.2% to $639.6.

Apple stock is up 13% since the beginning of 2025. The most popular analyst recommendation is to "buy" the stock (24 Buy ratings and eight Overweight), although 15 analysts advise "hold" the securities and four advise "sell" (Sell and Underweight), MarketWatch shows. The average target price of $287.09 is only slightly higher than the current price target.

Meta shares are now worth 9% more than they were at the beginning of 2025. But analysts treat them much better than Apple: 63 "buy" recommendations (53 Buy and ten Overweight) versus only seven "hold" recommendations. No one thinks the securities are worth "selling". The average target is $839.44, up 31% from the last closing price.

This article was AI-translated and verified by a human editor