Alan Dye leaves Apple for Meta to lead hardware, software and AI design studio

Alan Dye, Apple’s longtime head of Human Interface Design, is joining Meta to head a new studio responsible for the design of hardware, software and AI products. Meta says the team will bring together interface, industrial and metaverse design talent to imagine future devices and experiences that treat intelligence as a design material.

Apple has named Stephen Lemay, a senior interface designer with decades at the company, as Dye’s replacement. Dye contributed to major Apple initiatives including visionOS and the Liquid Glass design language, making his departure notable for the industry.

Key details

• Alan Dye will lead Meta’s new cross‑disciplinary studio focused on hardware, software and AI.
• Meta’s team includes other senior designers and industrial leads to accelerate consumer device development.
• Apple promoted Stephen Lemay to maintain continuity in interface design leadership.

Why this matters

Design leadership influences not just aesthetics but how products integrate hardware, software and AI. Dye’s move signals Meta’s intention to escalate its hardware ambitions — from Quest headsets to Ray‑Ban smart glasses and beyond — while Apple must ensure continuity as it develops competing AR/VR and wearable products.

Industry context

• Competition for experienced design talent is rising as companies race on AR/VR, smart glasses, wearables and AI‑infused devices.
• High‑profile hires can accelerate product strategy and change design language across platforms.
• Apple’s promotion of an internal veteran suggests it aims to preserve its interface DNA despite the leadership change.

Meta framed the studio’s mission around human‑centered intelligence and close collaboration across design disciplines. For Apple, the transition tests the depth of its design bench but also keeps a veteran in place to shepherd interface continuity.

Discussion: Will Alan Dye’s move to Meta tilt the balance in hardware and AI design — or will Apple’s design bench hold steady? Which product categories (smart glasses, AR/VR, wearables) matter most to you in this rivalry?