Apple is partnering with Google to power its AI features, including a major Siri upgrade expected later this year.
The companies announced the multi-year collaboration on Monday. Google’s Gemini models and cloud technology will serve as the foundation for the next generation of Apple Foundation Models.
“After careful evaluation, Apple determined that Google’s AI 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 joint statement said.
What’s New
The partnership makes Gemini a foundation for Apple’s next-generation models. Apple’s models will continue running on its devices and Private Cloud Compute infrastructure while maintaining what the company calls its “industry-leading privacy standards.”
Neither company disclosed the deal’s financial terms. Bloomberg previously reported Apple had discussed paying about $1 billion annually for Google AI access, though that figure remains unconfirmed for the final agreement.
By November, Bloomberg reported Apple had chosen Google over Anthropic based largely on financial terms.
Existing OpenAI Partnership Remains
Apple currently integrates OpenAI’s ChatGPT into Siri and Apple Intelligence for complex queries that draw on the model’s broader knowledge base.
Apple told CNBC the company isn’t making changes to that agreement. OpenAI did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The distinction appears to be between the foundational models powering Apple Intelligence overall versus the external AI connection available for certain queries.
Context
The deal arrives as Google’s AI position strengthens. Alphabet surpassed Apple in market capitalization last week for the first time since 2019.
The default-search deal between Google and Apple has been under scrutiny after U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta ruled Google holds an illegal monopoly in online search and related advertising. In September 2025, he did not require Google to divest Chrome or Android.
Apple had originally planned to launch an AI-powered Siri upgrade in 2025 but delayed the release.
“It’s going to take us longer than we thought to deliver on these features and we anticipate rolling them out in the coming year,” Apple said at the time.
Google introduced its upgraded Gemini 3 model late last year. CEO Sundar Pichai said in October that Google Cloud signed more deals worth over $1 billion through the first three quarters of 2025 than in the previous two years combined.
Why This Matters
I covered this partnership in November when Bloomberg first reported Apple was paying Google to build a custom Gemini model for Siri. Today’s joint statement confirms what was then unattributed sourcing.
The confirmation matters because it extends Gemini’s reach into one of the largest device ecosystems in the world. Apple has said Siri fields 1.5 billion user requests per day across more than 2 billion active devices. That installed base gives Gemini distribution Google couldn’t match through its own products alone.
The competitive signal is clearer now too. Apple evaluated Anthropic and chose Google. Eddy Cue testified in May that Apple planned to add Gemini to Siri, but today’s announcement frames it as a deeper infrastructure partnership, not just another assistant option.
If Siri becomes meaningfully more capable at answering queries directly, the implications mirror what’s happening with AI Overviews and AI Mode in search. More queries could be resolved without users reaching external websites.
Looking Ahead
The upgraded Siri is expected to roll out later in 2026. The companies haven’t provided a specific launch date.
Apple maintaining its OpenAI integration alongside the Google partnership suggests both relationships will continue, at least for now. How Apple balances these two AI providers for different use cases will become clearer as the new features launch.
