Apple’s decision to use Google’s Gemini AI model to power a long-awaited overhaul of Siri was widely anticipated. The iPhone maker will also rely on Google’s Gemini artificial intelligence technology to support future Apple Intelligence features. For Apple, this is less about adding another AI model and more about closing a strategic gap that Siri has wrestled with for years.
At one level, the move is a clear vote of confidence in Google’s AI capabilities. What is far more interesting, however, is what this partnership signals for the relationship between the two tech giants and what it could mean for smaller players in the ecosystem.
Here is what we know so far. The agreement allows Apple to use both Gemini AI and Google’s cloud infrastructure to power its future frontier models and Apple Intelligence. Apple has clarified that “Apple Intelligence will continue to run on Apple devices and Private Cloud Compute, while maintaining Apple’s industry-leading privacy standards.” This assurance reinforces Apple’s long-standing reputation for prioritising security and user privacy.
It is reasonable to assume that users will be able to opt in to sharing prompts directly with Gemini. This would mirror Apple’s 2024 arrangement with OpenAI, which allows Siri to hand over complex queries to ChatGPT when users explicitly permit it.
The deal with Google had been hinted at earlier. Following Apple’s WWDC 2024 keynote, Apple executives Craig Federighi and outgoing Apple executive John Giannandrea spoke with iJustine at the Steve Jobs Theatre. Federighi suggested a future in which users could choose between different models within Apple Intelligence, depending on their preferences.
“We think ultimately people are going to have a preference perhaps for certain models that they want to use—maybe one that’s great for creative writing or one that they prefer for coding. And so we want to enable users ultimately to bring a model of their choice,” he said, name-checking Google Gemini in the process. “We may look forward to doing integrations with different models like Google Gemini in the future.”
This is where the narrative becomes more complicated. Apple’s promise of a more personal Siri was delayed, and a year later WWDC was again used to manage expectations. “We’re continuing our work to deliver the features that make Siri even more personal,” Federighi said, noting that the work needed more time to meet the company’s famously high quality bar.
Meanwhile, a critical subplot was unfolding for Google. The search giant pays Apple billions of dollars annually to remain the default search engine on iPhones. That lucrative arrangement came under scrutiny during an antitrust case in which Google was accused of maintaining an Internet search monopoly.
In September 2025, a judge ruled against a worst-case outcome that could have forced Google to divest its Chrome browser business. Crucially, the ruling also allowed Google to continue entering into commercial agreements such as the one with Apple.
What Siri was meant to be
Against this backdrop, it is worth revisiting Steve Jobs’ original vision for Siri. When Apple acquired Siri in 2010 — then a standalone mobile app that enabled voice-based web searches — Jobs was careful to describe its purpose. Speaking at the D8 conference in 2010, he told Walt Mossberg and Kara Swisher that Siri was not about search.
“No, they are not in the search area; they are in the AI area,” Jobs said. “We have no plans to go into the search business… other people do it well.”
A year later, the iPhone 4s launched, and the ‘s’ might as well have stood for Siri. For many users, Siri became the primary reason to upgrade, making it possible to set reminders and perform tasks with a simple voice command.
Today, Siri needs to do far more. It must handle more complex use cases, such as recommending a nearby film that matches a user’s tastes or suggesting a restaurant aligned with their preferences. With Google’s AI models in the mix, that ambition may finally be realised.
Why the deal works for Apple and Google
For Apple, the partnership represents a meaningful step forward and could have implications for its valuation. True to Apple’s operating style, access to Gemini is likely to come with a degree of exclusivity. More than the underlying models, users ultimately care about the interface through which AI is experienced and Apple controls that interface. Clarifying and executing its AI strategy may be one of CEO Tim Cook’s most important priorities before he eventually transitions into a different role within the company. His aim is clear: To ensure that the consumer AI revolution flows through Cupertino.
For Google, the deal serves as validation. While OpenAI may have appeared to lead the field with ChatGPT a year ago, Gemini now looks firmly competitive, if not ahead. For Google, 2026 is shaping up to be a very different year.
It brings us to the question of other AI players, like OpenAI and Perplexity. Last year, Bloomberg reported that Apple executives have held internal discussions about potentially bidding for artificial intelligence startup Perplexity AI. Given the partnership with Google, the Perplexity play may not be necessary.
As for OpenAI, the partnership with Apple continues but how this will unfold in the coming months is unclear. Ultimately, the success of this partnership will be judged by whether Siri can finally evolve from a capable assistant into a genuinely personal one.