Abidur Chowdhury, the industrial designer responsible for the iPhone Air, has left Apple to join an unnamed artificial intelligence startup. His departure is part of a broader trend at Apple, where the company has seen a significant exodus of talent from its AI and design divisions. Key figures have moved to rivals like Meta and OpenAI, which has raised concerns about Apple’s ability to maintain its competitive edge in technology and design. Chowdhury's exit is notable given his rising influence within Apple's design team. His decision to leave has reportedly caused a stir internally, reflecting his importance to the company's recent product developments. Despite his role in creating the iPhone Air, Bloomberg's report indicates that his departure is not linked to the phone's launch. Chowdhury's LinkedIn still lists Apple as his employer, adding an element of uncertainty about his next steps.