Apple taps Google Gemini for Siri
Apple has pivoted its AI strategy by integrating Google’s Gemini into Siri, signaling a shift toward best‑of‑breed external models and cloud partnerships rather than building every AI layer in‑house — a move framed as modularity and privacy‑centric orchestration. This recalibration changes where platform value will be created: orchestration, API design, and on‑device/privacy integration now matter more than raw model IP. (r2.community.samsung.com)
Apple and Google issued a joint statement on January 12, 2026 announcing a multi‑year collaboration that will base the next generation of Apple Foundation Models on Google’s Gemini and Google Cloud technology. (blog.google) Bloomberg reported Apple is finalizing terms that would have it pay roughly $1 billion per year for access to a custom Gemini model estimated at about 1.2 trillion parameters. (bloomberg.com) Apple has stated that Apple Intelligence features will continue to run on‑device and on Apple Private Cloud Compute, a point CEO Tim Cook reiterated on Apple’s Q1 2026 earnings call. (blog.google) Reporting indicates the arrangement is non‑exclusive and followed Apple’s evaluation of Gemini, OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Anthropic’s Claude during vendor testing earlier in 2025. (bloomberg.com) Multiple outlets say iOS 27 will introduce an “Extensions” system that lets third‑party chatbot apps (Gemini, Claude, ChatGPT) plug into Siri so users can choose which assistant handles queries, with related announcements expected around WWDC in early June. (androidauthority.com) Bloomberg further reports the custom Gemini instance will be used for Siri’s summarizer and planner components and is far larger than Apple’s current ~150‑billion‑parameter cloud model, while Apple continues building its own ~1‑trillion‑parameter cloud model. (bloomberg.com) Coverage also notes the deal sits atop an existing commercial relationship—CNBC and others point out Google already pays Apple billions annually to be the default search provider on iPhones. (cnbc.com)
