Apple And Google they made one official multi-year partnership For integrate Gemini AI in new versions of the voice assistant Siri by the end of 2026. This strategic collaboration aims to empower the so-called Foundation Modelsthe Apple framework that serves as the “engine” of Apple Intelligence. This agreement will lay the foundation for a new version of Siri powered by artificial intelligencewhich will (hopefully) be able to handle complex requests using the power of Google’s cloud. Despite the integration of external technologies, Apple will maintain its architecture Private Cloud Computinga system that allows complex data to be processed on remote servers without compromising the encryption and confidentiality of user information. At the moment the economic terms of the partnership between the two giants are not known.
Apple has analyzed the options available on the market and concluded that Google’s infrastructure represents the most solid basis for unlocking new user experiences for Siri and, more generally, for the use of AI on its devices. In a joint statement made by Apple and Google, in fact, we read:
These models will help power future Apple Intelligence features, including a more personalized version of Siri coming this year.
After careful evaluation, Apple has determined that Google’s Al technology provides the most appropriate foundation for the Apple Foundation Models and is excited about the innovative new experiences it will bring to Apple users. Apple Intelligence will continue to work on Apple devices and Private Cloud Compute.
This doesn’t mean that Apple will give up its software identity, but rather that it will use the Gemini models as one infrastructural layer on which to build personalized services.
Regarding the economic part of the agreement, at the moment we know practically nothing. Last summer the agency Bloombergin announcing some talks between Apple and Google for the use of a customized Gemini model with which to improve Siri, alluded to the presence of a $1 billion a year deal. But at the moment this figure has not been confirmed by the two sides.
It is important to remember, however, that Apple also has an agreement with OpenAI. Thanks to this arrangement, when a user makes complex requests to Siri, the voice assistant turns to ChatGPT to handle them. The Cupertino giant has confirmed CNBC That “will not make any changes to the agreement» also, to be fair, the US media also added that «It’s unclear what the partnership with Google will mean for future ChatGPT integration».
The most interesting part of the whole thing, especially for users, concerns the impact Gemini will have on Siri. The new version of the voice assistant will have the task of making us forget the discontent accumulated for years. It will therefore not be able to limit itself to executing pre-set commands, but (at least this is what is hoped) it will integrate the advanced semantic understanding typical of Gemini to interpret the context of conversations with the user and become a useful tool in all respects.
