- Apple chooses Google Gemini over ChatGPT for core AI systems
- Deal supports next version of Siri across Apple devices
- Privacy and on-device processing remain central to Apple’s approach
Apple has selected Google’s Gemini models to power its artificial intelligence technology, including Siri, under a multi-year agreement, in a move seen as a setback for OpenAI. The decision hands a major win to Alphabet as competition sharpens in the global AI market.
In a joint statement released on Monday, Apple and Google said Apple chose Gemini after evaluating several options internally. The companies did not disclose financial terms. Apple said Gemini offers the “most capable foundation” for its Apple Foundation Models, while allowing it to keep tight control over how AI features are deployed, as quoted in a news report.
Apple added that its AI services will continue to run on users’ devices or through Private Cloud Compute, its secure cloud system, in line with its privacy standards. Google said Gemini will support a new version of Siri expected to launch later this year, as quoted in a news report.
Second major partnership
The Gemini agreement marks the second major partnership between Apple and Google, following Google’s long-standing role as the default search engine on iPhones. This time, the scale is far larger. While Gemini already powers Galaxy AI, integration with Siri potentially brings Google’s models to more than two billion active Apple devices worldwide.
Reports over the past year have suggested Apple was in talks to use a customised version of Gemini for Siri. Bloomberg previously reported that Apple could be paying around £800 million ($1 billion) a year for access to Google’s AI models. Apple has declined to comment on those figures, while Google has referred back to the official statement.
The announcement comes as Google’s AI efforts gather momentum. The company has been competing closely with OpenAI for major partnerships, and investor attention has been firmly on whether Gemini can rival ChatGPT at scale.
Apple already introduced ChatGPT on its devices in late 2024 for certain complex queries. The company said there are no major changes to that integration for now, but it has not explained how ChatGPT and Gemini will coexist over the longer term. OpenAI has not commented publicly on the development.
For users, the real impact is likely to be felt only once the updated Siri rolls out more widely.
