Apple will use Google’s Gemini models to power a revamped version of Siri, under a multi-year agreement announced on Monday. The deal strengthens Google’s position in the race against OpenAI.
The agreement is a significant endorsement for Google’s artificial intelligence technology. Gemini already underpins much of Samsung’s Galaxy AI, but the Siri integration opens access to Apple’s base of more than two billion active devices.
Google said Apple selected its models after an extensive evaluation process. According to the company, Gemini offers the most capable foundation for Apple Foundation Models and will support other Apple Intelligence features in the future.
Alphabet had been competing with OpenAI for the Siri partnership, though financial terms were not disclosed. Apple previously integrated ChatGPT into its devices in late 2024, allowing Siri to rely on the chatbot for complex queries.
Apple said the ChatGPT integration remains unchanged for now. OpenAI did not respond to a request for comment.
The decision has drawn criticism from some corners. Tesla chief executive Elon Musk said the deal concentrates too much power with Google, which already controls Android and the Chrome browser.
Musk founded xAI, a rival artificial intelligence firm investing heavily in foundational models and infrastructure. His comments reflect growing unease over Big Tech dominance in the AI ecosystem.
The move also raises questions about OpenAI’s long-term role within Apple’s products. After Google unveiled Gemini 3 last year, OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman reportedly issued a “code red” to accelerate development.
Analysts say the Siri decision reshapes Apple’s AI stack. ChatGPT is now likely to remain an optional layer for advanced queries, rather than the default intelligence behind Apple’s assistant.
Meanwhile, Google has been accelerating its AI push. The company has expanded investment in frontier models, as well as image and video generation tools, to close the gap with OpenAI.
Apple has struggled to gain momentum in artificial intelligence after entering the race late. Delays to Siri upgrades, executive changes, and a muted response to its first generative AI rollout have weighed on perception.
The latest deal builds on a long-standing partnership that makes Google the default search engine on Apple devices. That arrangement drives significant traffic to Google and generates tens of billions of dollars annually for Apple.
Investors reacted positively to the announcement. Alphabet’s market value crossed $4 trillion on Monday, following a 65% stock gain last year driven by optimism around its AI strategy.
Addressing privacy concerns, Google said Apple Intelligence will continue to run on Apple devices and private cloud infrastructure. The companies said the system will maintain Apple’s existing privacy standards.
