Apple’s head of machine learning resigns over mandatory return to office

Ian Goodfellow, the director of machine learning (automatic learning) at Apple, has decided to resign following the gradual end of telework. He warned the teams by e-mail according to a journalist from The Verge.

Departure of Apple’s director of machine learning

Telecommuting has been a reality at Apple because of Covid-19, as has been the case in many companies around the world. But the situation has evolved and recently, Apple has forced its employees to return to the office. Thus, employees of Apple Park had to be on site for one day a week from April 11. It went to two days a week from May 2 and it will be three days a week (Monday, Tuesday and Thursday) from May 23.

This new Apple policy which obliges to limit telework and thus return to the office does not please the head of machine learning. “I am convinced that more flexibility would have been the best policy for my team”said Ian Goodfellow in a message to the teams.

The framework is not the only one to criticize this mandatory return to the office. Last summer, employees had written a letter to Tim Cook to discuss this subject. “Without the inclusion that flexibility brings, many of us feel like we have to choose between a combination of our families, our well-being, and the ability to perform at our best or to do part of Apple », they had written to the boss of Apple. They added that they felt ignored by Apple management and some had threatened to quit.