Apple has officially confirmed something that had been rumored for months. The company announced it will integrate Google’s Gemini artificial intelligence models into the next generation of Siri. The news was shared in a joint statement from Apple and Google on Monday, 12 January, marking the start of a multi-year collaboration. This partnership will help shape the next era of Apple Foundation Models, powered by Google’s cloud technology and Gemini AI.
In the joint statement, Apple explained why it chose Google, saying, ‘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.’ Siri is set for a major upgrade this year, becoming more personalized with help from Google’s technology, a move Apple also highlighted on X.
This deal is a big moment for both companies. For Google, it is a strong vote of confidence in its AI technology and opens the door to Apple’s massive ecosystem, which runs on more than 2 billion devices worldwide.
A rare partnership between tech giants
Back in August 2025, Bloomberg reported that Apple and Google were in talks about working together to power a revamped version of Siri. The goal was to speed up Apple’s progress in generative AI. The report also revealed that Siri’s upgrade had faced engineering challenges, leading Apple to shift oversight to Craig Federighi and Mike Rockwell. That change reportedly made Apple more open to getting outside help.
In November, Google added fuel to the speculation with an advertising campaign that teased a possible partnership. The campaign featured the Apple iPhone 17 Pro and the Google Pixel 10 Pro framed as an “epic friendship,” though no official announcement was made at the time.
This collaboration stands out because Apple has long preferred building its technology in-house. Teaming up with Google shows a clear shift in strategy and suggests Apple recognizes that partnerships may be necessary to stay competitive in the fast-moving AI space.
More than just a licensing deal
According to reports, this partnership goes well beyond simple licensing. Google is said to be developing a custom Gemini model specifically for Apple, with an eye-catching 1.2 trillion parameters. The model is expected to handle advanced tasks that users now expect from modern AI assistants.
Despite Google building the models, they will reportedly run on Apple’s own server infrastructure. This approach allows Apple to keep its focus on privacy, a core part of its brand identity.
What the future holds for Siri and AI at Apple
Sources suggest this collaboration is deeper than many initially thought. Chrome Unboxed reports that Google is developing a custom Gemini model for Apple with a remarkable 1.2 million parameters designed to manage complex functions. As with earlier reports, these models will operate on Apple’s servers rather than Google’s.
The announcement has not yet drawn widespread public reactions from major tech leaders, but it has not gone completely unnoticed. Google has faced criticism before over concerns about its influence in AI. Elon Musk shared his doubts on X, posting, ‘This seems like an unreasonable concentration of power for Google, given that the[y] also have Android and Chrome.’
Apple has already shown it is open to working with AI partners. In 2024, ChatGPT was integrated into Apple devices, allowing Siri to tap into OpenAI’s expertise for image-related queries. According to Reuters, Apple confirmed there were no major changes planned for that integration.
Both companies were quick to reassure users about privacy. In their joint confirmation on Monday, Apple and Google stated, ‘Apple Intelligence will continue to run on Apple devices and Private Cloud Compute, while maintaining Apple’s industry-leading privacy standards.’
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