According to a report from Bloomberg, Apple Inc. is nearing a $1 billion-per-year agreement with Alphabet’s Google to use its Gemini AI technology as the backbone for a rebuilt version of Siri. The deal, expected to be finalized soon, gives Apple access to one of the world’s most advanced large language models — a 1.2-trillion-parameter system that far surpasses Apple’s current in-house models.

After evaluating OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Anthropic’s Claude, Apple reportedly chose Google’s Gemini as a temporary foundation for Siri’s evolution. By licensing Gemini, the company can accelerate Siri’s upgrade without waiting for its own AI models to mature. The decision comes as Apple races to deliver more capable AI features across its ecosystem and bridge the gap between its own technology and the industry’s leaders. The upgrade would dramatically boost Siri’s processing depth — allowing it to handle more complex queries, interpret context more naturally, and deliver faster, more accurate responses.

News of the potential deal briefly lifted both stocks. Apple edged up to $271.70, while Alphabet climbed as much as 3.2% to $286.42 during Wednesday’s trading session.

The new version of Siri is expected to debut next spring, according to Bloomberg. With the launch still months away, both the timing and the scope of Apple’s partnership with Google could continue to evolve before release.

Internally code-named Glenwood, Apple’s effort to modernize Siri is led by Mike Rockwell, creator of the Vision Pro headset, and Craig Federighi, head of software engineering. The updated assistant itself — slated for release with iOS 26.4 and known internally as Linwood — will rely on Gemini to handle Siri’s summarizer and planner functions. These are the core components that help the assistant synthesize information and decide how to act on complex user requests.

Not all Siri capabilities will shift to Google’s infrastructure. Some functions will still use Apple’s in-house Apple Intelligence models to maintain tighter control over privacy and system performance.

Under the agreement, Gemini will operate on Apple’s Private Cloud Compute servers, a system designed to keep user information shielded from Google’s network. Apple has already dedicated its own AI server hardware to run the model securely.

While the partnership is extensive, both companies intend to keep it discreet. Unlike the longstanding Safari search deal, where Google pays Apple billions to remain the default engine, this arrangement is more of a behind-the-scenes agreement than a public-facing partnership.

While Apple and Google previously discussed integrating Gemini directly into Siri as a chatbot, this new deal focuses instead on behind-the-scenes intelligence, not user-facing conversations. Talks about that concept nearly materialized in 2024 but didn’t advance into a feature. Instead, Gemini’s role now centers on backend reasoning — helping Siri plan, summarize, and respond more contextually.

Apple CEO Tim Cook has hinted that Siri could eventually support multiple chatbots, beyond the current option of just ChatGPT, giving users a choice between AI systems. For now, Gemini’s contribution will remain invisible to most users — powering intelligence, not personality.

The collaboration underscores how seriously Apple is taking its lag in AI innovation. Despite its enormous resources, Apple’s internal progress has been slow — a result of its cautious approach to privacy and a wave of high-profile AI talent departures, including the head of its models team.

Apple views Gemini as a temporary measure, not a permanent foundation for its AI strategy. Company leaders plan to continue advancing Apple’s own large language models, with the goal of eventually replacing Gemini with a fully in-house solution built on proprietary technology.

Apple’s internal models team is currently developing a 1-trillion-parameter system of its own, which could be ready for consumer-facing applications as soon as next year if development stays on track. If successful, that could allow Apple to phase out Google’s technology and return to a fully proprietary AI stack.

By contrast, Google’s Gemini 2.5 Pro currently tops most public model leaderboards. For Apple, adopting Gemini represents an acknowledgment that the company needs outside technology to stay competitive — at least in the short term.

One major challenge looms: China. Because Google’s services are banned there, Apple’s Chinese-market Siri won’t be able to use Gemini. Instead, Apple is developing a localized version of Apple Intelligence for the Chinese market, using in-house models combined with a content filter developed by Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. The filter is designed to ensure compliance with local regulations governing online information and AI-generated content, according to Bloomberg News.

The company is also exploring collaborations with Baidu to supplement those AI capabilities — showing that Apple’s global AI rollout will be complex and fragmented.

Q: How advanced is the Gemini model Apple plans to use?
A: Google’s Gemini 1.2 trillion-parameter model dwarfs Apple’s existing 150 billion-parameter system used in Apple Intelligence, dramatically boosting Siri’s comprehension and reasoning abilities.

Q: Will users know Siri is powered by Google AI?
A: No. Apple intends to treat Google strictly as a backend supplier, maintaining its branding and privacy narrative around Siri.

Q: Why not wait for Apple’s own model?
A: Apple wants to improve Siri quickly while its internal teams work on next-generation models. Gemini serves as a bridge to buy time and regain momentum in the AI race.

Q: Does the deal include Google’s AI search?
A: No. The agreement does not integrate Gemini Search or chatbot features into iOS — it strictly supports Siri’s planning and summarization functions.

For decades, Apple and Google have competed across hardware, search, and mobile ecosystems. But in the age of generative AI, necessity is redefining rivalry. Apple’s $1 billion-a-year bet on Gemini reveals a pragmatic shift: when innovation speed matters more than pride, even fierce competitors can become collaborators.

For users, the deal could finally make Siri genuinely useful — understanding complex requests, summarizing information, and executing tasks fluidly instead of responding with canned answers. More importantly, it signals a future where AI partnerships quietly shape the devices billions rely on — even if users never see the names behind them.

In the end, Apple’s embrace of Google’s Gemini AI isn’t just about rebuilding Siri. It’s about ensuring that in the race toward intelligent computing, Apple doesn’t get left behind.

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 used for research and drafting. However, the final perspective and editorial choices are solely Alicia Shapiro’s. Special thanks to ChatGPT for assistance with research and editorial support in crafting this article.