Apple chooses Google’s Gemini AI to power Siri

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Apple chooses Google’s Gemini AI to power Siri

Tech giants Apple and Google announced Monday a multi-year partnership that will see Apple’s next-generation artificial intelligence features, including its Siri assistant, be powered by Google’s Gemini technology.

The collaboration marks a significant shift for Apple, which has traditionally developed its core technologies in-house.

A joint statement said Apple selected Google’s AI technology after a “careful evaluation” determined it provided “the most capable foundation” for the iPhone-maker’s AI ambitions.

The announcement represents a rare alliance between two companies that have long competed in the smartphone market, where Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android operating systems dominate globally.

However, the two rivals have maintained a lucrative partnership for years, with Google paying Apple billions of dollars annually to remain the default search engine on iPhones and other Apple devices.

That arrangement has faced scrutiny from regulators, with the US Justice Department arguing in an antitrust case that the deal helps Google maintain its search monopoly, though a judge said the arrangement could continue.

Financial details of the AI arrangement were not provided.

Apple last year delayed the release of an improved Siri digital assistant and is now promising it for later in the year.

Google, Microsoft, OpenAI and other tech rivals have been releasing ever-improved AI models and features in a fierce race to lead the sector.

Despite the collaboration, Apple emphasized that its in-house AI system, Apple Intelligence, will be used to power its iPhones and iPads at the device-only level, maintaining what it described as “industry-leading privacy standards.”