Apple to Integrate Google's Gemini AI into Siri in $1B Deal

Apple Inc. is finalizing a significant agreement with Alphabet Inc.'s Google to integrate a custom version of Google's Gemini AI model into Siri, Apple's voice assistant. This partnership, valued at approximately $1 billion annually, aims to substantially enhance Siri's capabilities by leveraging Google's advanced artificial intelligence technology.

The Gemini AI model, developed by Google, boasts 1.2 trillion parameters, significantly surpassing Apple's current AI models. This integration is expected to improve Siri's ability to handle complex, multi-step tasks and provide more accurate responses. The upgraded Siri, powered by Gemini, is anticipated to launch in spring 2026 as part of the iOS 26.4 update.

To maintain user privacy, the Gemini model will operate on Apple's Private Cloud Compute servers. This setup ensures that user data remains within Apple's infrastructure, preventing Google from accessing Apple user data. Apple's Private Cloud Compute is designed to flex and scale computational capacity while incorporating groundbreaking privacy protections that can be publicly verified by independent experts.

This collaboration serves as a temporary measure while Apple continues to develop its own large-scale AI models. Apple has been working on a 1 trillion parameter cloud-based model, which could be ready as soon as 2026. The partnership with Google allows Apple to enhance Siri's functionality in the interim, addressing previous delays in AI improvements to Siri, which had been postponed until 2026.

Apple and Google have a history of collaboration, notably with Google paying Apple around $20 billion per year to be the default search engine on Apple devices. This new agreement further deepens the interdependence between the two tech giants.

The integration of Google's Gemini AI into Siri is expected to significantly enhance the user experience by providing more accurate and context-aware responses. This move positions Apple to better compete with other AI-powered voice assistants in the market.

As the tech industry continues to evolve, collaborations like this highlight the importance of strategic partnerships in advancing AI capabilities and delivering enhanced services to users.