Concept image of Apple’s upcoming Siri AI search tool, rumored to use Google Gemini to generate multimodal answers combining text, images, and location data. Image Source: ChatGPT-5
Apple May Use Google Gemini to Power Siri’s New AI Search
Key Takeaways: Apple’s AI search tool and Google partnership
Apple is developing an AI-powered search tool for Siri, internally called “World Knowledge Answers.”
The feature would let users ask Siri for information from the internet and receive AI-generated summaries that include text, photos, videos, and local points of interest.
Google is the frontrunner partner, with Apple testing a custom Gemini model designed to run on its servers.
Apple will use its own AI models for searching personal data but is evaluating Anthropic Claude and Gemini for Siri’s planning functions.
The AI-overhauled Siri is expected to launch in spring 2026 alongside iOS 26.4, following the release of the iPhone 17.
Apple and Google recently reached a formal agreement to test Gemini for Siri, expanding on their existing $20 billion annual search partnership.
Future applications may include integration with Safari and Spotlight search, though these updates are expected further down the line.
Siri’s New AI Search: A Planned Overhaul
Apple is preparing a major AI upgrade for Siri, centered around a search engine-like feature known internally as “World Knowledge Answers.” According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the system is designed to allow users to query the internet and receive AI-driven summaries that combine images, videos, text, and points of interest, making Siri more competitive with ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, and Perplexity AI.
The feature is part of Apple’s broader plan to revamp Siri with new capabilities, including better integration with personal data and the ability to perform actions based on on-screen content. The upgraded Siri will rely on a planner to interpret user requests, a search system to pull data from personal files or the web, and a summarizer to package responses into usable answers.
Google Partnership: Gemini at the Core
Reports indicate that Apple has entered a formal agreement with Google to test a Gemini-powered AI model for Siri’s summarization tasks. While Apple intends to use its own AI models for accessing user data, it is also considering Anthropic Claude and Google Gemini for handling Siri’s planning functions.
This collaboration builds on a long-standing search partnership, in which Google pays billions annually to remain the default search engine on iPhone. A recent court ruling upheld the arrangement, valued at $20 billion per year, clearing the way for expanded AI cooperation.
Consumer Impact: Multimodal AI and Future Integrations
The new AI search tool is expected to launch in spring 2026 as part of the broader Siri update. It may also appear in Safari and Spotlight in the future, though those features are not imminent.
By incorporating multimodal capabilities—using not only text but also images, video, and local data—Apple aims to modernize Siri and narrow the gap with competitors. This would mark a significant shift from Siri’s current limitations, which rely heavily on pre-set responses and basic search redirection.
Q&A: Apple’s Siri AI Search Tool
Q: What is Apple’s “World Knowledge Answers”?
A: It is an AI-powered search feature for Siri that generates summarized answers from the web using text, images, videos, and local data.
Q: Which company is helping Apple build the tool?
A: Google is providing a Gemini AI model that Apple is testing for Siri’s summarization.
Q: When will the AI-upgraded Siri launch?
A: The update is expected in spring 2026 with iOS 26.4, following the release of the iPhone 17.
Q: Will Apple use only Google technology for this?
A: No. Apple plans to use its own AI models for personal data searches and is also evaluating Anthropic Claude alongside Gemini.
Q: Could the AI search tool expand beyond Siri?
A: Yes. Reports suggest it may eventually appear in Safari and Spotlight, though those updates are further off.
What This Means: Apple’s AI strategy and reliance on partnerships
Apple’s decision to test Google Gemini inside Siri highlights how even the world’s most valuable tech company must balance independence and reliance in its AI push. While Apple continues to develop its own models for handling user data, outsourcing summarization to Google shows the scale of investment required to compete in AI-powered search.
For the broader industry, this move underscores a new phase of competition: not just between standalone AI labs like OpenAI or Anthropic, but between entrenched ecosystem players who are adapting their long-term partnerships to survive the AI transition.
If Apple succeeds, Siri could shift from being seen as an underpowered assistant into a primary AI gateway across the iPhone ecosystem. That would redefine how Apple users access the internet, manage personal data, and interact with digital services.
Editor’s Note: This article was created by Alicia Shapiro, CMO of AiNews.com, with writing, image, and idea-generation support from ChatGPT, an AI assistant. However, the final perspective and editorial choices are solely Alicia Shapiroo’s. Special thanks to ChatGPT for assistance with research and editorial support in crafting this article.