Apple and Google join hands to fix Siri; Gemini to get integrated in Apple products
Apple has entered into a multi-year partnership with Google to integrate Gemini artificial intelligence models into its ecosystem
- Jan 13, 2026,
- Updated Jan 13, 2026 3:44 PM IST
Apple has entered into a multi-year partnership with Google to integrate Gemini artificial intelligence models into its ecosystem, marking a significant shift in the iPhone maker’s AI strategy. The deal, confirmed on 12th January 2026, will see Google’s generative AI technology serve as the foundation for the next generation of Siri and various Apple Intelligence features.
The collaboration follows what the companies described as a "careful evaluation", during which Apple determined that Google’s technology provided the most capable foundation for its future models. Under the agreement, the next generation of Apple Foundation Models will be based on Gemini and Google’s cloud infrastructure. This move is expected to accelerate Apple’s AI capabilities after the company faced several setbacks and delays in developing its own competitive in-house models.
For Alphabet, Google’s parent company, the deal represents a major distribution victory. Gemini already powers Google’s own search features and Pixel smartphones, but this partnership embeds the technology across Apple’s installed base of more than two billion active devices. Following the announcement, Alphabet’s market capitalisation briefly exceeded $4 trillion for the first time, reflecting investor optimism regarding its position in the AI race against rivals like OpenAI.
Despite the deep integration with Google, Apple emphasised that its privacy standards remain a priority. Apple Intelligence will continue to run primarily on-device and via Private Cloud Compute to maintain user security. While Apple previously integrated OpenAI’s ChatGPT for certain complex queries in late 2024, analysts suggest that Gemini will now become the default intelligence layer, shifting OpenAI into a secondary, supporting role.
An important point to note here is that Gemini is already powering a lot of ‘Galaxy AI’ that Samsung uses in its smartphones, so the collaboration with Apple may now potentially make Google’s Gemini the default AI model for 2 of the biggest smartphone manufacturers in the world.
The partnership has also drawn criticism from competitors. Tesla CEO Elon Musk described the alliance as an "unreasonable concentration of power," noting Google’s existing control over Android and Chrome. Nevertheless, the deal reinforces a long-standing financial relationship between the two firms; Google already pays Apple billions of dollars annually to remain the default search engine on iPhones and iPads. The first Gemini-powered Siri features are expected to launch later this year.
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Apple has entered into a multi-year partnership with Google to integrate Gemini artificial intelligence models into its ecosystem, marking a significant shift in the iPhone maker’s AI strategy. The deal, confirmed on 12th January 2026, will see Google’s generative AI technology serve as the foundation for the next generation of Siri and various Apple Intelligence features.
The collaboration follows what the companies described as a "careful evaluation", during which Apple determined that Google’s technology provided the most capable foundation for its future models. Under the agreement, the next generation of Apple Foundation Models will be based on Gemini and Google’s cloud infrastructure. This move is expected to accelerate Apple’s AI capabilities after the company faced several setbacks and delays in developing its own competitive in-house models.
For Alphabet, Google’s parent company, the deal represents a major distribution victory. Gemini already powers Google’s own search features and Pixel smartphones, but this partnership embeds the technology across Apple’s installed base of more than two billion active devices. Following the announcement, Alphabet’s market capitalisation briefly exceeded $4 trillion for the first time, reflecting investor optimism regarding its position in the AI race against rivals like OpenAI.
Despite the deep integration with Google, Apple emphasised that its privacy standards remain a priority. Apple Intelligence will continue to run primarily on-device and via Private Cloud Compute to maintain user security. While Apple previously integrated OpenAI’s ChatGPT for certain complex queries in late 2024, analysts suggest that Gemini will now become the default intelligence layer, shifting OpenAI into a secondary, supporting role.
An important point to note here is that Gemini is already powering a lot of ‘Galaxy AI’ that Samsung uses in its smartphones, so the collaboration with Apple may now potentially make Google’s Gemini the default AI model for 2 of the biggest smartphone manufacturers in the world.
The partnership has also drawn criticism from competitors. Tesla CEO Elon Musk described the alliance as an "unreasonable concentration of power," noting Google’s existing control over Android and Chrome. Nevertheless, the deal reinforces a long-standing financial relationship between the two firms; Google already pays Apple billions of dollars annually to remain the default search engine on iPhones and iPads. The first Gemini-powered Siri features are expected to launch later this year.
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