Apple’s new Siri will be powered by … Google.
Following a thorough evaluation, the tech giants are said to be finalizing a deal that could see Apple paying around $1 billion annually for access to Google's cutting-edge technology. The iPhone maker intends to use Google's advanced Gemini model as a temporary solution, serving as a stopgap until its own in-house systems are fully developed. With an impressive 1.2 trillion parameters, this model's complexity would dramatically dwarf Apple's current AI capabilities.
Historically, Siri has often lagged behind rivals like Alexa and Google Assistant, particularly when it comes to handling intricate, multi-step requests and integrating seamlessly with third-party applications. While Google declined to comment on the report, Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
It's important to note that this new agreement is distinct from earlier discussions that explored directly integrating Gemini as a chatbot within Siri. Furthermore, this partnership will not bring Google's AI search capabilities into Apple's operating systems.
Back in March, Apple announced that significant AI improvements for Siri would be delayed until 2026, though no specific reason was provided for the setback. This comes as competitors have been aggressively rolling out new AI features: Google, for instance, added its Gemini model to its assistant last year, and Amazon unveiled an AI-driven overhaul of Alexa earlier this year.
To get its AI initiatives back on track after months of delays, Apple reportedly underwent an executive shake-up. This saw Mike Rockwell take charge of Siri's development, as CEO Tim Cook reportedly lost confidence in AI head John Giannandrea's ability to execute on product development, according to a Bloomberg report from March.
