Apple May Use Google Servers for AI Siri
Apple is reportedly considering using Google's cloud infrastructure to power its next-generation, AI-enabled Siri. The potential move would involve storing user data on Google servers to handle more advanced AI features, raising new questions about data privacy and the relationship between the two tech rivals.
This isn't the first time Apple and Google have closely collaborated, despite their intense rivalry. Google pays Apple billions annually—reportedly as much as $18 billion in 2021—to remain the default search engine in Safari, a deal that is a key part of the Department of Justice's antitrust lawsuit against Google. To handle the immense workload of advanced AI, Apple would gain access to Google's specialized server hardware, including Tensor Processing Units (TPUs), which are custom-built for large language models and are considered more powerful for AI tasks than conventional hardware. This move suggests Apple's own cloud infrastructure may not be ready to support the next generation of Siri. Internally, Apple is developing its own AI server chips under the codename "Project ACDC" (Apple Chips in Data Center). This project, in collaboration with chip manufacturer TSMC, focuses on chips for AI inference—the process of running an existing AI model—rather than training new ones. Reports suggest Apple's current "Private Cloud Compute" system is significantly underutilized, with only about 10% of its capacity being used on average. This inefficiency, combined with a fragmented internal cloud infrastructure, has reportedly led to some of Apple's own manufactured servers sitting unused in warehouses. To address privacy concerns, the potential arrangement would involve Google operating servers within Apple's own data centers. This would allow Google's AI systems to run in an Apple-controlled environment, a crucial factor for a company that has built its brand on protecting user data. The souped-up Siri is expected to better understand personal context by drawing data from a user's emails, messages, and photos. A more significant overhaul is anticipated with iOS 27, which could transform Siri into a conversational, chatbot-style assistant.
