Apple turns to Google’s Gemini to power next-gen Siri in multi-year AI deal

The partnership signals Apple’s growing reliance on external AI labs as it works to deliver on delayed AI promises, while continuing to stress privacy and on-device processing. (File Photos: Reuters and Express)

Tech giants Apple and Google on Monday, January 12, announced a multi-year deal under which Gemini models will power Siri and a few other Apple Intelligence features.

The iPhone maker has been grappling with its AI promises, and the latest deal meets its needs and offers a way forward. The new deal will see Gemini powering the personalised version of Siri that was demonstrated at the WWDC in 2024.

Both the companies issued a joint statement following the announcement. “After careful evaluation, 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,” read the statement.

Joint Statement: Apple and Google have entered into a multi-year collaboration under which the next generation of Apple Foundation Models will be based on Google’s Gemini models and cloud technology. These models will help power future Apple Intelligence features, including a…

— News from Google (@NewsFromGoogle) January 12, 2026

However, the Cupertino-based tech company also asserted that Apple Intelligence will continue to run on Apple devices and Private Cloud Compute while maintaining Apple’s industry-leading privacy standards. This could mean Google’s models will run either on-device or from Apple’s own servers to maintain its privacy standards. As of now there is no clarity on whether Google will have access to Apple customers data.

Reportedly, the arrangement has been in the offing for many months. The delay is said to be the endless wait for the improved Siri, and Apple’s past hints that it may look for external labs for support with frontier models. In November, a Bloomberg report had said that the tech giant could likely end up paying to the tune of $1 billion per year to use Google’s foundational models.

The latest partnership announcement comes after years of antitrust scrutiny over an earlier arrangement that witnessed Google paying billions of dollars to Apple to become its default search engine service.

Following the announcement of the partnership, Apple shares rose about 0.3 per cent, and Alphabet gained about one per cent. It needs to be noted that this deal is critical for Apple, which boasts a huge user base and strong cash flow, yet has been unable to create AI-powered products like its peers.

With Gemini coming into picture, revamped Siri will likely be able to understand personalised context, and it will be able to deliver tailored experiences for Apple’s consumers.