Apple has entered into a multi-year agreement with Google under which the latter’s Gemini artificial intelligence models will power a more personalised version of Siri and select Apple Intelligence features, the two companies announced on Monday.
The partnership marks a significant shift for Apple as it looks to accelerate its delayed artificial intelligence rollout by relying on external AI models, while continuing to emphasise privacy and on-device processing.
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In a joint statement, Apple and Google said the agreement followed extensive evaluation by Apple. “After careful evaluation, Apple determined that Google’s AI technology provides the most capable foundation for Apple Foundation Models and is excited about the innovative new experiences it will unlock for Apple users,” the statement said.
The deal will see Gemini powering the upgraded version of Siri that Apple previewed at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in 2024, where the company demonstrated a more context-aware, personalised assistant.
Privacy assurances and cloud processing
Apple said Apple Intelligence features will continue to operate on-device and through its Private Cloud Compute infrastructure, maintaining what it described as industry-leading privacy standards. This suggests that Google’s Gemini models may run either locally on Apple devices or through Apple-controlled servers.
However, the companies did not clarify whether Google will have access to Apple user data under the arrangement.
The agreement has reportedly been under discussion for several months, as Apple struggled to deliver its promised AI upgrades. In November, Bloomberg reported that Apple could pay up to $1 billion annually to license Google’s foundational AI models.
The partnership comes amid years of regulatory scrutiny over Apple and Google’s earlier agreement that made Google the default search engine on Apple devices, an arrangement that has faced antitrust challenges in multiple jurisdictions.
Strategic boost for Apple’s AI ambitions
The Gemini deal is seen as crucial for Apple, which has a vast global user base and strong cash reserves but has lagged behind rivals in rolling out advanced AI-powered consumer features.
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Following the announcement, Apple shares rose about 0.3 per cent, while Alphabet shares gained nearly one per cent.
With Gemini integrated into Siri, the assistant is expected to better understand personal context, user behaviour, and on-device information, enabling more tailored responses and actions across Apple’s ecosystem.
