Apple will use Google’s Gemini models to power its revamped Siri, due to launch later this year, under a multi-year agreement that strengthens the two companies’ partnership in artificial intelligence and boosts Alphabet’s position in its rivalry with OpenAI.
Announced on Monday, the deal is a significant endorsement of Google’s AI capabilities. While Google already underpins much of Samsung’s Galaxy AI, integrating Gemini into Siri opens access to Apple’s vast ecosystem of more than two billion active devices. Google said Apple selected its technology after extensive evaluation, citing Gemini as the most capable foundation for Apple Foundation Models and a driver of future Apple Intelligence features. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Alphabet had been competing with OpenAI for the partnership. Apple had previously integrated ChatGPT into its devices in late 2024, allowing Siri to draw on the chatbot for more complex queries. Apple said there are no major changes to that integration, while OpenAI declined to comment.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk criticised the move, warning it could concentrate excessive power with Google, which already controls Android and Chrome. Musk’s AI venture, xAI, is seeking to challenge industry leaders by developing large-scale models and investing heavily in infrastructure.
The agreement raises questions about OpenAI’s role in Apple’s AI strategy. Analysts said Gemini’s adoption positions OpenAI more as a secondary, opt-in option for advanced queries rather than the default intelligence layer. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman had previously urged teams to accelerate development in response to Google’s advances.
The partnership builds on a long-standing arrangement that makes Google the default search engine on Apple devices, a deal that generates tens of billions of dollars annually for Apple and drives significant traffic to Google.
Apple’s AI efforts have faced delays and mixed reception, including a postponed Siri upgrade and executive changes. The latest deal aims to strengthen its position as competition intensifies.
News of the agreement lifted Alphabet’s market value above $4 trillion on Monday, with shares having risen 65% last year on growing confidence in its AI strategy. Google said Apple Intelligence would continue to run on Apple devices and private cloud infrastructure, while upholding Apple’s privacy standards.
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