Apple Partners With Google on Siri Upgrade, Declares Gemini 'Most Capable Foundation' (theverge.com)
(Monday January 12, 2026 @11:41AM (msmash)
from the if-you-can't-beat-them dept.)
- Reference: 0180568220
- News link: https://apple.slashdot.org/story/26/01/12/166200/apple-partners-with-google-on-siri-upgrade-declares-gemini-most-capable-foundation
- Source link: https://www.theverge.com/news/860521/apple-siri-google-gemini-ai-personalization
Apple has struck a multi-year partnership with Google to [1]power a more capable version of Siri using Gemini AI models, ending months of speculation about which company would help the iPhone maker catch up in the generative AI race. In a statement, Apple said it had determined after "careful evaluation" that "Google's technology provides the most capable foundation for Apple Foundation Models."
The deal comes after Apple delayed its planned Siri AI upgrade last March, acknowledging that the project was taking "longer than we thought." Bloomberg had reported in August that Apple was in early talks with Google about using a custom Gemini model. Apple also explored potential partnerships with OpenAI, Anthropic and Perplexity, and CEO Tim Cook has said the company plans to integrate with more AI companies over time. The upgraded Siri is expected to perform actions on users' behalf and understand personal context.
[1] https://www.theverge.com/news/860521/apple-siri-google-gemini-ai-personalization
The deal comes after Apple delayed its planned Siri AI upgrade last March, acknowledging that the project was taking "longer than we thought." Bloomberg had reported in August that Apple was in early talks with Google about using a custom Gemini model. Apple also explored potential partnerships with OpenAI, Anthropic and Perplexity, and CEO Tim Cook has said the company plans to integrate with more AI companies over time. The upgraded Siri is expected to perform actions on users' behalf and understand personal context.
[1] https://www.theverge.com/news/860521/apple-siri-google-gemini-ai-personalization
Not a good look (Score:2)
by Sebby ( 238625 )
I don't know if Apple, a company that (supposedly) prides itself on protecting users' privacy, partnering with one of the world's biggest Privacy Rapists is the flex they think it is.
Re: (Score:2)
by ihadafivedigituid ( 8391795 )
100% agreed. I avoid Google's products as much as I can.
All your smartphone AI are belong to us -Google (Score:3)
by zuckie13 ( 1334005 )
I mean, Apple didn't have their own on par, and as others have said, at least it's not Nazi-Grok.
If the data is getting used by google though - someone's gonna be firing off an anti-trust lawsuit against Google over it - they'd have nearly all of the smartphone AI going their way in a lot of markets.
Least it isn't grok (Score:5, Insightful)
I hope apple is running the servers for Gemini. The idea of google having even more access to the iPhone data stream is concerning.