Washington: Under the agreement announced on Monday, Apple will integrate Google’s Gemini models into Siri and other upcoming Apple Intelligence features, marking a significant vote of confidence in Google’s AI capabilities. The partnership opens up a vast new market for Google, given Apple’s installed base of more than two billion active devices worldwide.
Google said Apple selected Gemini after “careful evaluation,” adding that its technology offers “the most capable foundation for Apple Foundation Models.” Financial details of the deal were not disclosed. Alphabet, which owns Google, had been competing with OpenAI for the partnership.
Apple had previously rolled out ChatGPT integration in late 2024, allowing Siri to tap OpenAI’s chatbot for complex, opt-in queries. That arrangement remains largely unchanged, positioning ChatGPT as a supporting feature rather than Siri’s default intelligence layer, analysts said.
The tie-up has sparked debate within the tech industry. Elon Musk criticised the deal on social media, calling it an “unreasonable concentration of power” for Google, which already dominates Android and the Chrome browser. Musk’s own AI venture, xAI, is investing heavily to compete with established players.
Industry watchers say Apple’s move reshapes its AI ecosystem at a crucial moment. The company has faced delays in upgrading Siri, executive churn, and a muted response to its initial generative AI rollout. Partnering with Google could help Apple close the gap after being late to the AI race.
For Google, the agreement builds on a long-standing relationship that already makes it the default search engine on Apple devices, a deal that drives traffic for Google and generates tens of billions of dollars annually for Apple. Investor confidence reflected the significance of the announcement, with Alphabet’s market valuation rising above $4 trillion on Monday after its stock surged 65% last year on optimism around its AI strategy.
Addressing privacy concerns, Google said Apple Intelligence features powered by Gemini would continue to run on Apple devices and through Apple’s Private Cloud Compute infrastructure, while maintaining Apple’s industry-leading privacy standards.
Apple has announced a major partnership with Google, integrating Google's Gemini AI models into Siri and other Apple Intelligence features. This collaboration marks a significant endorsement of Google's AI capabilities and opens a vast market for Google, given Apple's extensive user base. The deal, which excludes financial details, positions Google as a key player in Apple's AI ecosystem.
Apple has partnered with Google to integrate Google's Gemini AI models into Siri, marking a significant endorsement of Google's AI capabilities. This collaboration opens a vast market for Google, given Apple's extensive user base of over two billion devices. The deal positions Google as a key player in Apple's AI ecosystem, despite financial details remaining undisclosed.