Early talks signal a major shift in Apple’s AI plans
Alphabet shares rose more than 3% following a Bloomberg report that Apple is in early discussions to integrate Google’s Gemini AI models into a revamped Siri. The collaboration could redefine Apple’s assistant and potentially launch in 2026.
Apple reportedly contacted Google about building a custom version of Gemini to support a smarter Siri experience. Gemini has consistently ranked high on key AI benchmarks, while Apple has yet to clearly define its AI roadmap.
Google seeks to defend its search dominance
The timing is notable. Google faces legal pressure from the U.S. Department of Justice, which has recommended banning exclusivity agreements with companies like Apple. These deals cost Google billions annually to maintain its default search status on iPhones and Samsung devices.
Amid this uncertainty, Google is pushing Gemini as the default AI assistant on Android phones. The assistant has already demonstrated capabilities beyond Siri’s current features, including summarizing videos and processing multimedia input.
Apple explores AI partnerships beyond its ecosystem
Apple SVP Craig Federighi previously said the company aims to integrate third-party AI models into its Apple Intelligence framework. At WWDC 2024, he specifically named Google, and also pointed to potential collaborations with Anthropic and OpenAI.
Gemini’s multimodal abilities — handling voice, text, video, and images — fit Apple’s strategy to make its AI ecosystem more versatile. Documents from Google’s antitrust remedy trial also showed Apple executives involved in discussions about using Gemini for potential AI search functions.
What this means for both tech giants
For Apple, partnering with Google could help close the gap in AI innovation while retaining control over the Siri brand. For Google, the deal offers a path to remain embedded in the Apple ecosystem even if regulatory changes disrupt search contracts.
Neither company has issued an official comment. However, the potential partnership illustrates a new era where collaboration between AI giants could shape the future of mobile intelligence.
