Apple is set to significantly upgrade its virtual assistant, Siri, by integrating Google’s Gemini artificial intelligence models, a move that strengthens Alphabet’s influence in the fast-evolving AI assistant market and reshapes competition with OpenAI. The partnership, announced on Monday, marks a major strategic alliance between two of the world’s most powerful technology companies as artificial intelligence becomes central to consumer devices.
Under the multi-year agreement, Apple will deploy Google’s Gemini models to power a revamped version of Siri later this year. While the financial details of the deal were not disclosed, the agreement represents a strong endorsement of Google’s AI capabilities at a time when competition among major AI developers is intensifying.
The integration is seen as a major win for Alphabet, Google’s parent company, which has been racing to expand the reach of its Gemini models. Google’s AI already underpins much of Samsung’s “Galaxy AI” platform, but access to Apple’s ecosystem gives it exposure to more than two billion active Apple devices worldwide, significantly expanding its footprint in consumer AI.
In a statement, Google said Apple selected its technology after extensive evaluation. “After careful evaluation, Apple determined Google’s AI technology provides the most capable foundation for Apple Foundation Models,” the company said, adding that Gemini models will also support other Apple Intelligence features in the future. The statement also sought to reassure users that Apple’s strict privacy standards would remain intact.
The announcement comes as Apple continues to reposition itself in the artificial intelligence race. While rivals such as Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI moved quickly to commercialize generative AI, Apple adopted a more cautious approach, prioritizing privacy and on-device processing. This strategy, however, has led to criticism that the company was falling behind, particularly following delays in Siri’s long-anticipated upgrade.
In late 2024, Apple integrated ’s ChatGPT into its devices, allowing Siri to rely on the chatbot for complex and conversational queries. At the time, Apple emphasized that the ChatGPT integration was optional and designed to complement Siri rather than replace it. With the new Gemini partnership, Apple appears to be refining that approach, positioning Google’s AI models as the core intelligence layer while ChatGPT remains available for advanced, opt-in use cases.
Industry analysts say the move subtly shifts OpenAI’s role within Apple’s ecosystem. According to Parth Talsania, CEO of Equisights Research, Apple’s decision places ChatGPT in a supporting position rather than at the center of its AI strategy. “ChatGPT is likely to remain focused on complex, user-invoked queries, while Gemini becomes the default intelligence framework behind Siri,” he noted.
The deal has also sparked debate over market concentration and competition. , CEO of Tesla and founder of AI startup xAI, raised concerns on social media platform X, arguing that the partnership gives Google excessive influence. Musk pointed to Google’s existing dominance through Android and the Chrome browser, suggesting that adding Siri to its AI portfolio could further consolidate power in the hands of one company.
Musk’s comments reflect broader concerns within the tech industry about the concentration of AI capabilities among a small group of companies. Through xAI, he has been investing heavily in infrastructure and foundational models in an attempt to challenge the dominance of Google, OpenAI, and other major players.
For Apple, the agreement builds on a long-standing and financially lucrative partnership with Google. For years, Google has been the default search engine on Apple devices, a deal that reportedly generates tens of billions of dollars annually for Apple while driving massive search traffic to Google. The new AI collaboration deepens that relationship, extending it from search into the core intelligence that powers user interactions.
Market reaction to the announcement was swift. News of the partnership helped push Alphabet’s market valuation above $4 trillion on Monday, underscoring investor confidence in the company’s AI strategy. Alphabet’s stock had already surged by about 65 percent last year, fueled by optimism around Gemini and other AI-driven initiatives, including advancements in image and video generation.
Google has accelerated development of its frontier AI models in recent months as it seeks to counter OpenAI’s early lead in generative AI. The Gemini family now spans text, image, video, and multimodal capabilities, positioning it as a versatile foundation for consumer and enterprise applications. Integrating Gemini into Siri not only enhances Apple’s assistant but also provides Google with real-world usage at an unprecedented scale.
Apple, meanwhile, has faced internal and external challenges on its AI journey. These include executive reshuffles, delayed feature rollouts, and mixed reactions to its early generative AI tools. By leveraging Google’s mature AI models, Apple aims to deliver a more capable and responsive Siri without compromising its emphasis on privacy and security.
Addressing privacy concerns, Google reiterated that Apple Intelligence would continue to operate primarily on Apple devices and through Apple’s Private Cloud Compute infrastructure. “Apple Intelligence will continue to run on Apple devices and Private Cloud Compute, while maintaining Apple’s industry-leading privacy standards,” Google said, signaling that user data protections remain a priority.
As the AI race accelerates, the Apple–Google partnership highlights a broader industry trend: even fierce competitors are increasingly collaborating to keep pace with rapid technological change. For consumers, the deal promises a smarter and more capable Siri. For the tech industry, it signals a reshaping of alliances that could define the next era of artificial intelligence.
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