Apple Partners With Google To Power Next Wave Of AI Features

Apple has struck a multi-year deal with Google that will see some of its most important services, including a revamped version of Siri, powered by Google’s Gemini artificial intelligence models. The move marks a major shift for Apple as it prepares for a broader overhaul of its AI tools under the banner of Apple Intelligence.

The partnership was confirmed in a joint statement from the two companies, which said the collaboration would unlock “innovative new experiences” for Apple users. As part of the agreement, Apple will base its foundation AI models on Google’s technology while keeping Apple Intelligence running on its own devices and Private Cloud Compute system.

“After careful evaluation, Apple determined that Google's Al 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. “Apple Intelligence will continue to run on Apple devices and Private Cloud Compute, while maintaining Apple's industry-leading privacy standards.”

The deal is widely seen as a boost for Google, whose Gemini models have made rapid gains in recent months and now outperform many rivals on key industry benchmarks. Analysts described the announcement as a validation of Google’s progress, with Wedbush Securities calling it a “major validation moment for Google”. The news helped push Google parent Alphabet to a $4 trillion market valuation for the first time.

For Apple, the move highlights a more cautious approach to building AI in-house. Analysts say relying on Google shows how difficult it has been for Apple to match competitors on speed and scale. IDC analyst Francisco Jeronimo said outsourcing the core AI layer was a practical decision, but also a break from Apple’s tradition of tightly controlling its entire technology stack.

Consumers, however, may welcome the change. Many iPhone users have been calling for smarter AI features as rivals like Google and Samsung move quickly to add them to their devices. Siri, first launched in 2011, has long been criticised for lagging behind competitors. With Gemini under the hood, Apple is aiming for a more capable, context-aware assistant that can better handle natural language and deliver more useful answers.

Apple has already partnered with OpenAI, integrating ChatGPT into Apple Intelligence last year, but the Gemini deal appears to reduce OpenAI’s role in powering Siri’s core functions. The updated assistant is expected to launch early this year, according to previous reports.

Not everyone is convinced. Tesla and xAI founder Elon Musk criticised the agreement online, writing: “This seems like an unreasonable concentration of power for Google, given that the[y] also have Android and Chrome.”

Regulators may also take a close look. Apple and Google already face scrutiny in the US, UK and EU over their market power, with UK regulators previously describing them as holding an “effective duopoly”. Financial details of the Gemini deal have not been disclosed, though past agreements between the two companies have been worth billions.

For now, Apple customers appear cautiously optimistic. Some fans say even an incremental improvement would be welcome, while others remain sceptical about whether Siri will finally deliver on long-promised personalisation. What is clear is that the deal reshapes the AI landscape, strengthening Google’s position and signaling that Apple is willing to partner aggressively to stay competitive.