iPhone Air Designer Leaves Apple to Join AI Startup

Abidur Chowdhury, the industrial designer behind the iPhone Air introduction, has left Apple to join a rising AI startup, marking a major design team shift, Bloomberg is reporting.

According to sources familiar with the matter, Chowdhury has joined an emerging artificial intelligence startup. His departure has stirred interest internally because he was considered a rising star on Apple’s industrial design team.

Chowdhury not only contributed to the development of the iPhone Air, but also appeared in Apple’s September event video, presenting the design journey and features in a roughly two-minute clip. His exit follows a six-year tenure at Apple, where he joined in 2019, around the same time legendary designer Jony Ive departed the company.

Chowdhury’s decision to leave is said not to be linked to the iPhone Air’s market performance, according to people familiar with the situation. Apple has not issued a public comment on Chowdhury’s exit.

The timing of his departure adds to a series of recent changes in Apple’s design organization. Notably, long-time design leader Jeff Williams, who oversaw product design, recently stepped down, which has led to a major restructuring in how the design teams report within the company.

Chowdhury’s role in launching the iPhone Air was more than just technical. By being the face of the design introduction, he represented a bridge between Apple’s engineering world and its public image. The Apple design team itself has been transforming rapidly since the departure of iconic figures like Jony Ive, with many veteran designers either retiring or moving on to other ventures.

Abidur Chowdhury’s move to an AI company could reflect a larger shift in the tech landscape, where hardware designers are increasingly attracted to software-driven, AI-centred startups. The rise of generative AI, and its demand for human-centred products, may be creating new opportunities for designers with a strong hardware background.