Apple may be turning to its biggest rival to supercharge its AI ambitions, reportedly reaching a formal agreement to test Google’s Gemini AI model for a major Siri overhaul. The move comes as Apple develops its own AI-powered web search tool, internally dubbed “World Knowledge Answers,” in an effort to catch up in the generative AI race and compete with services from OpenAI and Perplexity. The upgraded Siri, which has been delayed to 2026, is expected to be the first integration point for the new AI features.
According to a new report from Bloomberg, the agreement allows Apple to formally evaluate and test Gemini for its forthcoming AI assistant. While Apple is also testing its own in-house models, a partnership could provide the power needed for an AI “answer engine” capable of generating detailed responses using web data, images, and video. If the integration proves successful with Siri, the technology could later be extended to other parts of iOS, including Safari and Spotlight search. To address privacy concerns, reports suggest Google’s models would run on Apple’s Private Cloud Compute servers, while Apple’s own models would handle on-device tasks involving personal user data.
The potential partnership deepens the complex relationship between the two tech giants. It follows a recent court decision that upheld much of their lucrative $20 billion arrangement that keeps Google as the default search engine in Safari. This development also builds on Apple’s WWDC 2024 announcement, where the company introduced Apple Intelligence with an initial OpenAI partnership but explicitly named Google’s Gemini as a future candidate for integration.
Apple has been criticized for falling behind its competitors in AI and was forced to delay its revitalized and AI-empowered Siri until 2026. The strategic shift toward evaluating Google’s technology also seems to have cooled Apple’s interest in other potential partners, with reports indicating it is no longer considering an acquisition of the AI search startup Perplexity.
Sources
- Bloomberg: Apple Plans AI Search Engine for Siri to Rival OpenAI, Google
- CNET: Apple Reportedly Planning AI-Enhanced Siri With Search Tool in 2026
- 9to5Mac: Google closer to powering new Siri and Apple’s AI search tool as Perplexity fades
- TechCrunch: Apple’s Siri upgrade could reportedly be powered by Google Gemini
- Engadget: Apple’s latest AI project may be a web search tool
