Apple Taps Google's Gemini to Power Next-Generation Siri

Apple and Google announced a major multi-year partnership on Monday, January 12, 2026, to embed Google’s Gemini AI models into Apple’s ecosystem. The agreement establishes Gemini as the primary foundation for Apple’s upcoming “Apple Intelligence” features, with a revamped, more powerful Siri set to launch later this year.

While financial terms were not officially disclosed, industry reports indicate Apple will pay Google an estimated $1 billion annually for access to Gemini’s advanced models and cloud infrastructure. The partnership is non-exclusive, allowing Apple to potentially integrate models from other AI firms like OpenAI for specific functions. The collaboration extends the existing multi-billion dollar relationship between the two companies, which already includes Google being the default search engine on iPhones.

The core objective of this collaboration is to finally make a major upgrade to Apple's virtual assistant, Siri, whose development has been delayed.

• Gemini will serve as the core engine for what Apple calls its “Apple Foundation Model,” providing support for advanced reasoning and natural language understanding.

• The new Siri is expected to be powered by an ultrapowerful 1.2 trillion parameter version of Gemini, promising more contextual and capable assistance.

• Apple confirmed these AI features will operate either directly on devices or through its secure Private Cloud Compute system, designed to uphold the company’s stringent privacy standards.

Analysts view the deal as a strategic pivot for Apple, allowing it to rapidly close the gap in the competitive AI race after struggling to develop a comparable in-house foundational model throughout 2025. For Google, the agreement represents a significant market victory, securing its AI technology at the heart of the world’s most popular smartphone platform. The arrangement signals a complex blend of rivalry and cooperation between the two tech giants as they navigate the future of AI.

Industry observers noted the significance of the partnership. “This is about speed and scale,” said one analyst. “Apple gets a top-tier AI engine immediately, and Google gets unprecedented distribution.” The companies emphasized that user privacy remains a priority, with AI processing designed to be as local and secure as possible.

The first features powered by the Apple-Google AI collaboration are expected to roll out in a software update later in 2026, with a focus on enhancing Siri’s capabilities across iPhones, iPads, and Macs.