Google’s Gemini powers Apple’s AI features like Siri

It’s official. Apple has chosen to work with Google, a longtime partner, to power AI features like Siri.

“After careful evaluation, we determined that Google’s technology provides the best foundation for Apple’s Foundation Model and we are excited about the innovative new experiences that will open up for users,” Apple and Google said in a statement.

Partnership emphasizes previous report in a deal with Google. Neither Apple nor Google has confirmed the price tag, but previous reports indicate that Apple may pay Google around$1 billion for access to AI technology. The deal also came after Apple spent some time testing competitor technologylike OpenAI and Anthropic.

The multi-year partnership will involve Apple using Google’s Gemini model and cloud technology for Apple’s future base model. The deal is not exclusive, according to sources familiar with the matter. Apple has historically focused on vertical integration, relying on its own hardware and software.

The iPhone maker has faced the same amount general conversation criticizes it’s after AI efforts, especially the Siri assistant, lagged behind competitors. That’s not to say Apple hasn’t built a solid base model yet. The company released the first version of the Apple Intelligence in 2024, which adds AI to existing OS functions like searching for photos and summarizing news. Apple is also focusing on privacy with its AI launch, with much of the processing happening on the device or through a tightly controlled infrastructure. Apple says it will maintain these privacy standards throughout its partnership with Google.

The company’s strategy has resulted in subtle, sometimes invisible, sometimes irritated AI form – one that does not have the same wow factor as ChatGPT or Gemini. It also stopped short of delivering the kind of Siri overhaul that users have been waiting for.

Apple has late rollout of “Siri more personal” voice assistant several times, but the spokesperson told TechCrunch the upgrade came this year. Previous reports indicated a revamped Siri would launch in the spring.

Apple’s partnership with Google also comes as the search and adtech giant is in the midst of diversification antitrust lawsuitsincluding one that puts the relationship with Apple front and center. In August 2024, a federal judge ruled Google is acting illegally to maintain a monopoly on online search by paying companies like Apple to display the search engine as default on your device and web browser. Between 2021 and 2022, Google paid Apple about $38 billion to secure default search placement.

In December 2025, Judge Amit Mehta issued the final remedy about the case, which includes prohibiting Google from entering into an exclusive standard agreement like the one with Apple “unless the agreement is terminated no later than one year after that date.”